Community
4 weeks ago
OBG Lions Club Continues Tradition of Collecting Used Eyeglasses for Project Right to Sight

Since 1987, the Orange Blossom Gardens Lions Club has worked to bring the gift of clear vision to those in need through its involvement in Project Right to Sight. By collecting used prescription eyeglasses, reading glasses, and sunglasses, the club helps ensure that people—from local students to seniors—can see clearly again. Each donated pair is cleaned, refurbished, and matched to someone with the same prescription, transforming what might be forgotten in a drawer into a life-changing tool.

MCPS sign with motivational message on grassy roadside in Ocala under partly cloudy skies.
Education
4 weeks ago
Marion County School Board discusses changing kindergarten start date from Sept. 1

The Marion County Public School board discussed the possibility of a change in the state statute that could change the language for starting kindergarten in the future.

BB Graphics and The WrapPros team members pose in front of their logo with a framed 2025 Best of the 352 award.
Features
4 weeks ago
BB Graphics & The WrapPros: Central Florida’s leader in vehicle wraps and branding for over 30 years

BB Graphics & The WrapPros, a Central Florida leader in vehicle wraps and branding for over 30 years, combines craftsmanship, speed, and community commitment from its Ocala and Crystal River locations.

A gentleman dressed in a blue polo shirt, holding a microphone, with a covered shelter, orange and white pylons and people in the background.
Community
4 weeks ago
U.S. Army veteran named Veterans Helping Veterans director of community engagement and outreach

Myles McConico a U.S. Army veteran has been named Veterans Helping Veterans USA’s director of community engagement and outreach.

Veterans Helpign Veterans USA logo
Community
4 weeks ago
VHVUSA Marion County steps up outreach efforts

U.S. Army veteran Myles McConico has been named Director of Community Engagement and Outreach for Veterans Helping Veterans USA (VHVUSA). He will lead efforts to expand the organization’s visibility and connect local veterans with critical resources. With 40,000 veterans living in Marion County, McConico is focused on spreading the word about VHVUSA’s free programs, including food, housing, counseling, and employment assistance.

A little girl pets a baby alligator with Reptile Encounters at the NCF Outdoor Expo.
Entertainment
4 weeks ago
Outdoor fun turns wild: BB guns, alligators, and giveaways headline Ocala’s 7th Annual North Central Florida Outdoor Expo

Ocala’s biggest indoor outdoor showcase returns August 16 at the World Equestrian Center’s Expo Center 2, promising BB guns, gators, archery, and family-friendly giveaways in a safely air-conditioned setting.

A well-dressed woman in business attire, with men and women dressed in scrubs, with a woman on the far right wearing a doctor's smock, with the gentleman on the extreme right wearing a well-tailoired suit.
Community
4 weeks ago
At the heart of innovation, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital joins global clinical trial to treat heart disease

HCA Florida Ocala Hospital has been selected to participate in a groundbreaking clinical trial to assess the safety and effectiveness of a next-generation heart valve implant.

The exterior of the Marion Theatre, featuring a retro-style marquee with red neon letters and a sign below reading "Showtimes at MarionTheatre.org." The building has a pink and cream facade with red doors and art deco accents.
Community
4 weeks ago
Step back in time: 12 historic places in Ocala you don’t want to miss

Ocala’s history isn’t confined to museums. From a reconstructed frontier fort to a hidden spring just off a busy road, here are 10 sites that reveal the city’s past — and a few that even longtime locals might have missed.

Orange sun at top in the background, great blue heron, with green sod on either side. Underneath the bird, lettering with the fons size getting smaller as it gets lower on the page.
Community
4 weeks ago
Lake County releases growth survey results

The results of Lake County’s online growth survey were presented Aug. 12, 2025, at the Lake County Board of County Commissioners meeting.

Extreme left, brick wall in background, in the middle the interior of the lobby is visible through the window, facade in the background over the window treatment, which appears to be limestone, stenciled lettering, deeply inset in the background glass windows and glass doors, to the right brick facade, small sign with an insignia, to the left and right of the glass and metal sconce lighting fixtures, to the right another column and more brick. A concrete walkway is in the foreground leading to the doors that open to the vestibule.
Local
4 weeks ago
City of Wildwood and You Thrive Senior Services offer meals and activities for seniors in Sumter

The City of Wildwood and Thrive Senior Services are combining their efforts and are offering a program providing Sumter County residents 60 years and older wit free meals and recreational activities.

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