Ocala Gazette Podcast

Podcast episode for the week of February 28, 2025.

In this episode, you'll hear the comments made by Governor Ron DeSantis during the groundbreaking ceremony for the I-75 expansion project in Marion County. The Govenor speaks candidly about the approval process and plans to build the state's largest Buc-ee's location. 

You'll also hear from Ocala Gazette editor Susan Smiley-Height discussing the upcoming events for the month of March.

Our guest is author Marian Rizzo, who wrote about education programs for deaf students in Marion County, which make use of ASL interpreters and modern technology to help the students learn.

In this week's episode, we hear comments from Commissioners Craig Curry and Michelle Stone regarding HB 105, a Florida legislative bill that would decouple horse racing and casinos.

Also this week, we talk to Jennifer Hunt Murty and Caroline Brauchler, who tell us about the county's plan to implement new impact fees, and how the school district went about implementing impact fees after a similar struggle.

Finally, Susan Smiley-Height shares info about a type of cancer screening that is available for free for Marion County veterans.

Ocala Gazette Podcast episode for the week of February 14-20, 2025.

In this episode, we'll discuss the Gazette's on going investigation into the deaths at the Marion County jail.

We also talk with the stars of the play Daddy Long Legs at OCT, along with the artistic director at OCT about the upcoming play SpongeBob The Musical.

Ocala Gazette Podcast episode for the week of January 27, 2025.

In this episode, we take a look back at the Ma Barker shootout that took place in Ocklawaha in 1935, as it was recently the site of a historical commemoration in Marion County. 

We also examine the DCRA, or the Death in Custody Reporting Act, a federal law that requires local law enforcement to report instances of deaths that take place within police custody. 

And finally, we also discuss a $10,000 donation made to Interfaith Emergency Services as part of HCA's food drive initiative, and a former Marion County high school football coach who was arrested this month for underage sex crimes.

Ocala Gazette Podcast episode for the week of January 20, 2025. 

In this episode, we take a look back at the Martin Luther King Day march in Ocala, as well as the Duck Derby event from the Ocala Rotary Club. We also look ahead to the gala weekend from Pinnacle Cares, headlined by country artist Jay Allen.

Ocala Gazette Podcast episode for the week of January 13, 2025.

This week, we take a look at some of the events scheduled to commemorate Martin Luther King Day in Ocala. We also celebrate some recent award winners who were honored for their achievements. And finally, we recap the recent debate within the Dunnellon city government as how they plan on filling the vacancy of Chief of Police.

Ocala Gazette Podcast episode for the week of January 6, 2025. 

In this edition, we recap some of the reporting from last year and the impact it had, and take a look at the work of beauty pageant contestant and nonprofit CEO Casana Fink, a graduate of Forest High School and Miss Florida winner who competed in the 2025 Miss America Pageant, 

We also remember the life of Buddy Mackay, a former U.S. representative and governor of Florida who lived in Ocala, who passed away on December 31. And finally, tell the story of Steven Cabrera, a paramedic whose off-duty heroism saved the life of a man in a burning car on I-75.

In this week's episode, we examine the different systems used by Marion County and City of Ocala emergency response, and the need for a unified response system.

In this week's episode, we look back at the adoption ceremony that took place in Ocala on December 13, 2024, where 18 children found their forever homes. We also get to know each of the finalists for this year's Golden Apple Teacher of the Year award.