Good morning, Ocala.

Local rider Jaime Gibson suffered a severe fall during a Sept.

4 competition at Fox Lea Farm. She underwent successful surgery on Sept. 5 and community donations raised over $21,000 (via a GoFundMe by Heather Dayner) to support her recovery.

Howard Academy will celebrate its 160th anniversary on Sept.

19 with a daylong inaugural homecoming at its community center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring a special breakfast, museum tours and family activities.

The Humane Society of North Central Florida is asking for help caring for 20 kittens fighting ringworm.

Local residents can donate supplies + offer temporary foster homes to support the kittens’ recovery.

Nearly one year after Charlie Kirk was killed, Florida communities have dedicated three roads and New College Florida commissioned a statue in his honor.

Details on the statue's location have not yet been announced.

Ocala Wildlife Management Area is underway with the 2026-2027 hunting season and updated regulations managed by Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission & U.S. Forest Service; archery runs Sept.

26-Oct. 25 while muzzleloading and general gun hunts will follow in units with additional windows for bear, small game, and turkey hunts.

Lovebugs are swarming highways today, so local drivers should avoid traveling between 10 a.m. and dusk and choose alternate routes if possible.

FPL Home mailers warn homeowners in Ocala that standard policies do not cover repairs to exterior water and electric lines, and optional coverage (starting at $6.23 per month then increasing to $13.96) may shield them from high repair costs.

Ocala opened its second downtown parking garage on Tuesday, Sept.

8, adding hundreds of new parking spaces within walking distance of the Historic Downtown Square and local restaurants. The six-level facility, located between West Broadway and West Fort King Streets, can be accessed from SW 2nd or SW 3rd Avenue.

On Tuesday, Congresswoman Kat Cammack donated laptops and books to the Empath Dementia Education and Care Center in Ocala (a facility that opened in March) to boost dementia education and resource awareness for families.

State officials fined Catrina Cocina Mexicana $760 after a February 17 health inspection temporarily closed the Ocala restaurant for violations.

The restaurant corrected the issues and passed a follow-up inspection on February 18 at its Churchill Square location (303 SE 17th Street, Unit 315).

A resident in Ocala has proposed developing affordable senior cottages modeled after Derby Downs near Silver Springs Shores Golf Course.

The plan calls for 700 sqft (one-bedroom) units priced at $100,000 with onsite parking and shared community amenities.