Several residents share thoughts on Marion County property taxes
Multiple residents have written in to share their opinions about property taxes in Marion County. Here are some of those letters:. “They have also cheated the taxpayers by adding non-ad-valorem taxes to get around homestead taxes. They have the streets completely neglected full of potholes that are unsafe for...
Business concerned that Ocala Mayor is misinformed about kratom, unwilling to speak
An Ocala tea business that has served as an alcohol-free gathering space for seven years says it has been stonewalled by the city’s mayor in its request to have a conversation about kratom at local businesses, saying it sells natural kratom and not the banned synthetic extract that has caused mass confusion.
Ocala Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Robbing Convenience Store At Gunpoint
An Ocala man who robbed a local convenience store at gunpoint in June 2024 has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison. On Friday, November 14, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida reported that 23-year-old Johnisaac Felix had been sentenced to ten years in prison for interfering...
Major congestion on I-75 throughout Marion County
Interstate 75 is backed up for several miles along different stretches of both the northbound and southbound lanes in Marion County as of Friday afternoon. The Florida Department of Transportation is reporting severe congestion in both the northbound and southbound lanes of the highway for different multi-mile...
Couple living in car in parking lot at Planet Fitness involved in altercation
An Oxford man was arrested for battery after allegedly punching his ex-girlfriend in the parking lot of Planet Fitness during an argument. The ex-girlfriend of 75-year-old Leland Jeffery Basey asked law enforcement to meet her at Denny’s, located at 1577 Bella Cruz Drive, The Villages, at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday,...
Girlfriend allegedly breaks into boyfriend’s home and attacks him
A Leesburg woman was arrested after allegedly breaking into her boyfriend’s home through his bedroom window and battering him. Deputies responded to an altercation in the front yard of an undisclosed Leesburg residence around 6 p.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. There...
Footage from stolen home security camera leads to Ocala man’s arrest
A 32-year-old Ocala man is facing burglary and theft charges after a local homeowner accused him of stealing a security camera from an enclosed back porch. On Monday, November 10, an Ocala Police Department officer made contact with a female homeowner/victim who advised that her motion-activated security camera had...
Ocala City Council Denies Alcohol Permit for Location on Silver Springs Boulevard
OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Ocala City Council voted unanimously 5-0 to deny a business an alcoholic beverage location permit, precluding the opening of a liquor store in West Ocala, at their meeting on Nov. 18, 2025. The permit request was for the sale of beer, wine and liquor...
Teen struck in Marion Oaks highlights rising concerns over student pedestrian safety
A 15-year-old girl was struck by a vehicle Thursday morning in Marion Oaks and transported under a trauma alert, the latest in a string of juvenile-involved crashes across Marion County in recent weeks. The collision occurred in the morning hours in the Marion Oaks community. While the teen is homeschooled,...
Florida farm brings unique Gypsy Vanner horses and their story to life
OCALA, Fla. — Deep in the heart of Florida’s horse country, one farm is offering more than just beautiful pastures and photogenic horses — it’s giving guests a cultural and historical experience unlike any other. Gypsy Gold Horse Farm is the first in the United States...
