Good morning, Ocala.

Ocala welcomes a BJ's Wholesale Club membership center tomorrow at 9 a.m. at 6110 SW State Road 200; the center will offer special membership deals before the full store opens for shopping in the fall.

Miami artist Ernesto Maranje is restoring his iconic living mural at Brick City Center for the Arts downtown following a Tuesday statement by the Marion Cultural Alliance, and he will refresh the Florida black bear and nearby wildlife details over the coming days.

Rock the Country is a two-day concert set for Aug.

28-29 at the Florida Horse Park on S. County Road 475, featuring Brooks & Dunn on the 28th and Blake Shelton on the 29th, with other performers also on the bill.

A free careers and colleges expo was held on Wednesday at Ewer’s Century Center where students and families met representatives from colleges, trade schools, and military branches (hosted by Marion County Public Schools and the College of Central Florida).

The Florida Department of Education is proposing a rule that requires all public colleges, including the College of Central Florida in Ocala, to develop artificial intelligence policies for students+staff+guests.

The rule will affect 28 institutions and guide how colleges manage AI use going forward.

Experts say invasive Asian swamp eels threaten Florida wetlands by outlasting Burmese pythons in dry spells—first spotted in Tampa in 1997, these mucus-covered fish have since spread to areas near Orlando and risk local ecosystem balance.

At its Aug. 18 meeting, the Ocala City Council took a step toward eliminating the business tax receipt, a license required for companies, which city staff say could save roughly $300,000 in fees.

The change may lower operating costs for local businesses.

TV20 has named Union County’s Bryce Lawton Football Play of the Week after his strong run to the end zone during Week Zero; fans in Ocala can cast their ballots by Friday.

Ocala teen Nacssa Garemore advanced to the final 16 on American Ninja Warrior after winning his head-to-head round on Monday, Aug.

24 and will face fifth-seeded Phil Folsom on Monday, Aug. 31. He aims for the $250,000 grand prize in the season finale.