Daily
Ocala
Wednesday, May 13th, 2026
Good morning, Ocala. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 13th of May.
ACCIDENTS NEWS
- ➤ Traffic was heavy at the I-75 South exit to CR 484 on Tuesday, May 12, with vehicles queued from mile marker 340; motorists were advised to seek alternate routes after a fatal accident closed a section further south in Sumter County. Ocala-News
- ➤ Last Friday, rescuers from the MCSO Aviation Unit located a pregnant woman, her partner, and their three dogs suffering from heat exhaustion in Ocala National Forest after they ran low on water during a remote hike and provided an IV drip before evacuating the group. Ocala-News
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Frank J. DeLuca, founder of DeLuca Toyota, was inducted into the Florida Automobile Dealers Association Hall of Fame on May 7 at Waldorf Astoria Orlando + his decades of leadership and community generosity were honored alongside seven other dealers. WCJB
- ➤ E-ONE broke ground on a $23.5 million expansion project on Southwest 57th Avenue, adding about 80,000 sqft to meet rising demand for fire apparatus. The project will boost productivity and create roughly 100 jobs in the area, with construction planned to continue through next year. WCJB
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Two women (formerly from New York) now living in Stonecreek bring old family recipes to life on their YouTube channel The Nonnas of Stonecreek. They share family traditions with locals today. WCJB
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy will close soon, leaving families and advocates worried about at-risk youth programs. Local supporters have asked the governor to save the program that many in Ocala and Marion County depend on. Ocala Gazette
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ The 2026 hurricane season will start on June 1 while the National Hurricane Center begins daily tropical outlooks on May 15. NOAA ended Hurricane Preparedness Week last week — advising residents on evacuation zones and supply kits to prepare for upcoming storms. Ocala StarBanner
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Florida retailers can round cash transactions to the nearest nickel as of May 11, which may affect cash prices while card payments remain unchanged. The law defines rounding rules (1,2 and 6,7 cents round down; 3,4 and 8,9 cents round up) following the discontinuation of the penny. Ocala StarBanner
- ➤ On Friday, May 15, flags over public buildings will be flown at half-staff to honor Peace Officers Memorial Day as part of Police Week, recognizing law enforcement officers who lost their lives or were disabled in the line of duty. The measure includes Florida officers and runs nationally + locally. Ocala StarBanner
REAL ESTATE NEWS
- ➤ Ocala City Council approved plans on Tuesday, May 5 for a 251-acre mixed-use development that may bring over 2,700 new homes and nearly one million sqft of commercial space to southwest Ocala. The project led by KAS Ocala, LLC includes conditions such as 30-foot landscape buffers & strict height limits. Ocala-News
- ➤ Leena Ocala, a new development ($62.5M) with 300 apartments and 60 townhomes, is being built at Southwest 60th Avenue and 52nd Street; construction began in late April with first units arriving late 2027. Ocala StarBanner
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ Ocala Athletix team Code Red won the Division II cheerleading competition at the D2 Summit Championship held at Walt Disney World in Orlando from May 8 to May 10. The athletes, including second-place finishers Red Angels, marked a historic win for the local program — a milestone in competitive cheerleading. Ocala-News
-
Grand Prix May Dressage Dining Experience
8-11 a.m. — The Equestrian Hotel Terrace — $145 per person — Delight in brunch while world-class dressage athletes compete in the Grand Outdoor Arena.
-
Grand Prix May Dressage Dining Experience
6:30-9:30 p.m. — World Equestrian Center - Ocala — $205 per person — Dine on exquisite buffet meals while world-class equestrians captivate with their grand prix freestyle performances.
-
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Concert
7:30 p.m. — Reilly Arts Center — Ticket information TBA — Celebrate the 33rd anniversary of this iconic swing band with a night of vibrant music and high-energy performance.
-
Hear Us Roar III Fundraiser
7 p.m. — Ocala Civic Theatre — VIP tickets $50 — A vibrant fundraiser supporting Arts in Health and The Arc Marion in Ocala.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.
Know who said this? Send us an email!
Reveal the authorAbout Daily Ocala
Welcome to the Daily Ocala, your community newsletter that's anything but snooze-worthy, packed with positive, impactful local news + events across the Ocala, Florida community. If you like the Daily Ocala, support us by subscribing to our email newsletter and sharing us with your friends and family in Ocala.
Advertising Opportunities
Advertising with us will make sure you stay at the top of everyone's mind—in Ocala and across Florida. You can learn more here. We'll work together to build a custom plan to hit your goals this year.
Alternatively, you can submit events, announcements, real estate listings, and job postings. We'll include them in our newsletter on whichever dates you like.
Community, delivered
Our hyper-local media company activates communities through daily email newsletters that curate the most positive, impactful local news + events – all for free.
Subscribe to Daily Ocala
A free Ocala community newsletter.
- Daily local news
- We curate the most positive, impactful local news + events.
- 6AM City
- A publication of 6AM City, the nation's leading local newsletter-first media network. Nominate your city.
© 6AM City Inc. 2025. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Service. Questions? Contact us here
Sitemap: https://dailyocala.com/sitemap