[MCSO]Ocala, Florida — The Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Marion County Jail underwent an extensive, three-day audit and was found to be 100 percent compliant with the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA).
According to the sheriff’s office, during the ‘Exit Interview’, PREA auditor Buddy Kent stated in his analysis that MCSO’s Detention Bureau exceeded six out of the 41 applicable standards, becoming the first agency in the state and probably in the country to reach this achievement.
Under PREA, all staff and inmates must receive comprehensive training on how to report, prevent, and respond to any sexual harassment/abuse within the correctional facility.
During the audit, interviews were conducted with inmates and staff who confirmed these measures were taken.
Shortly after he was elected, Sheriff Chris Blair declared that MCSO would be held to these standards to ensure the best practices in the correctional facility and in the agency.
The sheriff’s office said, “Before MCSO adopted PREA standards, policies and practices were already in place to ensure zero tolerance to sexual abuse/harassment agency-wide. However, the implementation of the PREA standards enhanced policies already in place prior to our PREA compliance.”
According to the sheriff’s office, a PREA auditor began a “Mock PREA Assessment” on June 30, but because of the preparedness, dedication, and readiness of MCSO’s staff, the mock audit quickly became their actual PREA audit.
“This is a major achievement for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, particularly for the staff at the Marion County Jail,” MCSO’s PREA Coordinator, Mike Forte said. “The fact that we passed the audit the first time without any type of corrective action being needed reflects the commitment and dedication of the staff here at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.”
“The Senior Leadership at the Marion County Jail congratulates all the men and women in the agency for their support of this assessment,” Major Mike Rolls, Bureau Chief of Corrections said. “If not for the determination and teamwork of all involved, this achievement would not have been possible.”
Marion County Sheriff Chris Blair said, “As sheriff, I am very proud of the men and women at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.” He went on to say, “Because of their preparation, dedication, and readiness, we exceeded expectations and it is an honor to be working alongside such talented and impressive individuals. Their achievement joins one of the ten other counties that have met PREA standards, which is a very difficult task to accomplish.”
This is the first time the Marion County Jail has been audited under PREA standards.
Silver Springs, Florida — Tuesday, Charlotte Shepherd, 41, of Silver Springs, posted some comments on her Facebook timeline that have her family concerned for her well-being.
Charlotte was last seen driving a 2004 White Ford F150 2 door truck, with the Florida tag 9648PK.
If you know where she is, call 911.
UPDATE
Shepherd was found Wednesday morning safe and sound.
Ocala, Florida — On Tuesday, Marion County Commissioners voted unanimously to fly the third national Confederate flag, which had been removed in June.
The flag is now back on display at the Fallen Officers Memorial in front of the McPherson Governmental Complex.
In June, Marion County Democratic Party Chair Joyce Blake sent an e-mail asking the county how many of the confederate flags were displayed throughout Marion County. Blake, who is from Maryland, believes the flag stands for racism and hate.
And although no one specifically requested the flag be removed, Interim County Administrator Bill Kauffman made the decision to remove the flag.
Marion County Public Information Specialist Stacie Causey said, “The commission voted unanimously to restore the flag to the historical display today.”
She went on to say, “The commission also discussed how to best display all of the flags in their proper historical context. To this end, they gave consensus for staff to work with the Marion County Historical Commission to determine opportunities for historical interpretation of the display, as well as other history markers on the McPherson complex. This will help identify opportunities for connectivity and education about local history within the complex grounds.”
Removal of the flag sparked outrage among many Marion County residents, and prompted the Florida Southern Pride Ride group to be formed.
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Photo from the Florida Southern Pride Ride, which took place in June.
“The county has not had any requests from citizens to remove the historical flag,” Hernandez said in a June statement. “Marion County is respectful of the flag’s historical meaning, but also aware of the perceived connotations and heightened public sentiment since the recent church tragedy in Charleston, South Carolina.”
The flag has been under attack since the South Carolina shooting. The shooting also promoted TV Land, which is owned by Viacom, to remove re-runs of the hit TV show “Dukes of Hazzard.”
NASCAR, Amazon, Ebay, Walmart, and several others have also taken some type of action against prohibiting the flag. Many have vowed to boycott any business which prohibits the flag from being sold or displayed.
Citrus County — Members of the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office were devastated after they were notified on Saturday, July 4, that Deputy Roy West had been discovered deceased in a hotel room just outside of Citrus County.
According to reports, West, 50, took his own life.
Deputy West joined the Sheriff’s Office in December of 2003.
Following three years on road patrol, he became a traffic deputy in 2006. He also served on the Honor Guard for several years. Deputy West became a bailiff in the Judicial Services division in May of 2012.
The CCSO said he was extremely knowledgeable about state statutes, spent a great deal of time serving in the community, and often spoke to community groups and children.
“The Sheriff’s Office is deeply saddened by the loss of Dep. West, who was a valued team member and a highly experienced deputy. The agency is focused on trying to help his family members and assist those in the agency who are impacted by this sudden loss,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Ocala Post did not attempt to reach out to the family during this tragic time.
[Last updated on July 8, 2015, at 9:37 p.m. to include a statement from the county.]
Ocala, Florida — Marion County firefighters are still waiting to hear back from county officials on their contract as the exodus of firefighters and paramedics continues.
Last week, a 10-year Firefighter Paramedic promoted to Lieutenant, a 6-year Firefighter Paramedic promoted to Driver Engineer, and a 2-year Firefighter Paramedic, all turned in their resignations.
One expressed his frustrations in his resignation letter, which was forwarded to county commissioners.
Lt. Drew Richardson had worked for Marion County Fire Rescue for 10 years. In total, he had 16 years of experience as a paramedic. This is due to the fact that he worked for the ambulance service before becoming a firefighter.
“This has been a tough decision and it is one I did not want to make. But, after waiting for years to have a future in this department to no avail, it is time to move on as hundreds of my brothers and sisters who have worked for Marion County have already done,” Richardson wrote in his resignation letter.
Over 200 firefighters and paramedics, nearly half of the workforce, have turned in resignation letters over the last four years.
Richardson wrote, “One year ago our fire chief asked us to ‘hold on things would get better.’ Instead, he retires with no sign of movement towards getting better.” He added, “What seems to be forgotten is that jobs are readily available where firefighters and paramedics do not have to be reduced to begging to be able to take care of their families and eventually retire with dignity.”
But, low pay was not the only reason why Richardson decided to move on.
He says the fire department has such a low staff that firefighters and paramedics are being forced to stay on the clock. Richardson, who has three children and a wife who works, was told to have someone in his family call out sick from their job to take care of the kids so that he could be forced to stay on the job.
“They tell us we cannot leave work for another 24 hours with limited notice, in my case, as with many others, less than ten minutes before shift change. And this does not occur because there is a natural disaster, or some sort of emergency. It’s only because they cannot retain employees,” Richardson wrote.
Richardson wrote, “I have children and a wife with a job that helps to pay our bills. My other family members have jobs. The administrative staff tells me by e-mail to ‘have my wife or family call out sick from their jobs’ so that I can be forced to stay on the clock. They care so little about my family, that our supervisors want them to jeopardize their careers just so the commissioners can keep pay low.”
Marion County Public Information Manager Barbra Hernández said, “This is rarely the case. Shift commanders try to avoid assigning mandatory overtime, but must resort to it when there are not enough crew members available to cover the required positions.” She added,”In the particular case cited, this former staff member was notified of his mandatory overtime once the night before and once at least 40 minutes ahead of time. Upon his refusal, other crew members were required to fill the mandatory overtime.”
“Mandatory and excessive overtime is a problem here, as well as the low pay,” Ryan O’Reilly, spokesman for the Professional Firefighters of Marion County said. “Our fear is that the county commissioners will just try and dump cash on this problem, rather than trying to rectify it for the long term.”
“These guys need to have a step plan returned to them so that these skilled medics and firefighters know they have a future here,” O’Reilly added. “We are still hopeful that these commissioners will do the right thing and correct this for the long term.”
On average, there are around 240 hours of extra overtime a day for MCFR, which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars a month.
In addition to staffing problems, on Tuesday commissioners are scheduled to review the qualifications for the position of Fire Chief. The proposal is to separate the position from the Assistant County Administrator. However, the proposal also eliminates the need for the Fire Chief to be a firefighter.
The new job description states that an applicant only has to be either a firefighter, EMT, or a paramedic. This is a departure from every single fire department near Marion County, where the top spot requires certificates in both firefighting and emergency medicine.
If passed, Marion County will have the lowest standards for hiring a fire chief in the region, while every county bordering Marion County, including the cities of Ocala, Leesburg, and Micanopy, require dual certification and advanced degrees.
Current Fire Chief Stuart McElhaney will retire on July 31, after having served 21 years in the top spot. Deputy Chief Paul Nevels was set to be handed the spot until the Ocala Post uncovered the fact that he did not have credentials in emergency medicine, and little advanced training in firefighting. Additionally, Nevels did not have any higher education.
In closing, Richardson wrote, “I wish there was a future here. This is the greatest job in the world with the greatest group of co-workers I could have ever hoped to work alongside of. However, there is no movement to fixing these issues for the long term.”
American players celebrated after defeating Japan on Sunday. CreditRonald Martinez/Getty Images
The United States dominated Japan, the reigning World Cup champions, 5-2 to win their first Women’s World Cup title since 1999. United States won its third world cup title in the highest-scoring final in tournament’s history Sunday.
All tournament the U.S. was known as being the defensive juggernaut only conceding one goal the whole tournament entering the finals, but in the final game they came out attacking. Carli Lloyd recorded a hat-trick in the opening 16 minutes of the game as the U.S. quickly put the game out of Japan’s reach. Japan quickly found themselves behind, and by the time they were able to get back together they were down 4-0 in only the 16th minute of the game. Japan was able to get on the board in the 27th minute due to a goal by Yuki Ogimi.
The game entered the second half still 4-1 and remained that way until Japan scored a goal to cut the U.S. lead in half when Julie Johnston’s redirected header went into the U.S.’s own net. Tobin Heath answered back for the U.S. quickly and restored their four goal lead when she scored just two minutes after Japan’s goal.
U.S. beloved superstar Abby Wambach was finally able to raise the World Cup trophy in what would be the final World Cup in her historic career.
Ocala, Florida — No injuries were reported in a blaze that completely destroyed a room at a Days Inn Motel on Friday.
At approximately 6 a.m., Marion County Fire Rescue responded to the Days Inn, located at 5751 East Silver Springs Boulevard, Ocala.
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[MCFR]According to reports, crews arrived in under five (5) minutes. Their quick response and proper building code kept the motel from burning to the ground.
MCFR was able to contain the fire to the second floor, room number 237, which prevented further damage to the motel.
Firefighters said that although flames were “licking” through the party door to an adjacent room, they were able to keep the flames from spreading.
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Inside the hotel room and markings that show where the flames attempted to reach the adjoining room. [MCFR]According to reports, the room was unoccupied and everyone in the surrounding rooms were able to be safely evacuated.
MCFR said the cause of the fire appeared to be a faulty air conditioner.
A spokesperson with the Professional Firefighters of Marion County stated that quick response times and adequate staffing is what saves lives and property. The spokesperson also said it is what drives down insurance rates.
In total, 13 firefighter/paramedics responded to the scene to save the building.
Ocala, Florida — On Friday, at approximately 12:10 p.m., Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy Timothy Ogletree, 44, was traveling southeast on U.S. 27 in the left lane with his lights and sirens activated.
According to reports, the deputy was responding to an emergency call.
The deputy told troopers that as he approached the red light at the intersection of County Road 225A, he slowed down and then accelerated into the intersection.
As he drove into the intersection, a 1995 Toyota Camry, driven by Jessica Campell, 24, was traveling northbound on County Road 225A approaching the intersection of U.S. 27.
Campell did not see nor hear the deputy approaching, and traveled into the intersection.
The front of the deputy’s car then slammed into the left side of the Camry.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers reported that both vehicles had been moved prior to their arrival.
Video of the crash was captured by surveillance cameras at the BP gas station located on the northeast corner of the intersection.
Ocala Post is in the process of obtaining that video.
FHP reported that Campell and the deputy were transported to Munroe Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.
Both drivers were wearing their seat belt.
Troopers said the driver of the Camry was ticketed.
Injured duckling saved. Photo courtesy of Chrissy D.
Ocala, Florida — A local fireworks stand, which gives back to the community, gave back in a different way Friday afternoon.
As a mother duck and her ducklings were attempting to waddle across Highway 200, in what appeared to be an attempt to get to the small pond behind Wells Fargo Bank, they were nearly hit by traffic.
Realizing that drivers were not going to stop, Amy L. and Bob P., volunteers with Extensions Dance Studio who are raising money for “Just Entertainment, Inc., ” a non-profit corporation that raises money to help children in the Arts, and a customer jumped into action.
Bob and the customer stopped traffic in both directions, while Amy helped the family of ducks across the street using the crosswalk.
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First photo courtesy of Becky G. : Amy blocking ducks from waddling into traffic. Second photo courtesy of Chrissy D. : Customer [far left], Amy [center], and Bob.Sadly, one of the ducklings was injured and could not keep up with its family, so, the mother duck left the baby duckling behind.
But do not fret, the brother of an Extensions Dance Studio volunteer has rescued the duckling.
He said he has property where he has raised other ducks. He said that the injured duckling will be taken into his home and nursed back to health.
For the time being, the fireworks stand has a new mascot, which volunteers have named Stanley if it’s a boy and Stanlea if it’s a girl.
You can view the locations of these fireworks stands that give back to the communityhere.
Miami-Dade County, Florida is the first county in the state to pass a law that would allow marijuana possession to be treated as a civil offense.
Commissioners passed an ordinance Tuesday that makes possession of marijuana — anything under 20 grams — a criminal misdemeanor or civil offense. The citation would be $100, and the offender would not face jail time.
Commissioner Sally Heyman said, “For goodness sakes, we don’t have to destroy the lives of so many. We have better things to do with our police resources.”
Miami-Dade County Judge Samuel Slom said it is stunning how much of taxpayer dollars are utilized every time someone is charged with a simple offense of possession of marijuana. He said it takes officers away from their job and is a waste of time and resources. He said instead of an officer protecting the community as he or she should be, they would be transporting someone to jail for marijuana.
The new ordinance would prevent that he said.
Commissioners said that Broward County and Miami Beach are considering voting on the same ordinance.
What do you think? Should Marion County consider a similar ordinance?
Dollar General, located at 2040 Northeast 35th Street robbed at gunpoint.
On Thursday, at approximately 8:30 a.m. the Dollar General, located at 2040 Northeast 35th Street was robbed at gunpoint.
Both black males were covering their faces during the robbery.
Ocala Post is currently waiting on the details and surveillance video in this case.
Marion County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Investigations Unit detectives believe this case is possibly related to the string of robberies that the Ocala Police Department is currently investigating.
Stay tuned for more information.
If you have any information about this case, please call the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at 352-732-9111, Crime Stoppers at 352-368-STOP, text a tip to 274637 using keyword 368-STOP, or visit www.ocalacrimestoppers.com. Anonymity is guaranteed.
Ocala, Florida — Five Guys Burgers, located in the Gaitway Plaza 2701 Southwest College Road, was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday night.
The robbery occurred at closing time. There were three employees on duty during the incident.
One of the employees told police that he usually locks both doors to the business, but on this night he only locked one. Another employee, who has only been on the job for three weeks, locked the other door.
The employee who locked the western front door said that he turned the lock and heard it click. He stated that he did not push on the door to make sure it was locked and that he “might not have turned the lock far enough.”
Both suspects — one black male and one white male — were armed with handguns during the robbery.
The black male ordered two of the employees on the floor. He told them not to be “heroic.”
According to reports, the black suspect told the employees, “If you move, I will kill you.”
During the robbery, the white suspect passed his gun to the black suspect.
The manager was ordered to open the safe, while the other two employees were held at gunpoint.
The white suspect in the orange hoodie wore gloves during the robbery.
The suspect in the orange hoodie went directly to the door that was unlocked prior to entering the business. Police noted that “the suspect opened the door with no resistance.”
The robbers escaped with approximately $2,000 in cash.
The manager hit the holdup alarm after the suspects exited the business.
Ocala Police Department detectives said they do not know yet if this robbery is connected to other robberies and attempted robberies that have occurred in the area.
If you have any information about this case, or know of the suspects’ whereabouts, call the Ocala Police Department at 352-369-7000 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP, text 274637 using keyword 368-STOP, or visit www.ocalacrimestoppers.com. Anonymity is guaranteed.
Ocala, Florida — Three black males, who were armed with a large caliber handgun and machetes, kicked in the back door of a home and demanded drugs and money Tuesday night.
It was a frightening experience for the individuals that were home when the three men barged into the residence.
Police said when they arrived on the scene, they were met by two victims, age 16 and 17, who were running down the street. The juveniles stated that they had run out of the front door of the residence and feared they were being chased by men with weapons.
According to reports, the men kicked in the back door of the home and ordered two of the victims on the floor. The victims said that the suspects were yelling, “Where’s the money! Where’s the money…give up your dope.”
One of the suspects reportedly put a gun to a victim’s head and said, “Give me your money or your drugs.” The male victim then stated, “I don’t have any money or drugs, get the f**k out of my house.”
The victim stated that the black male was wearing a red hockey mask. The victim described it as a “Jason” mask. The suspect was also wearing a hoodie.
There were seven people in the house at the time of the home invasion. All of the victims said that “the men walked through the house terrorizing them with machetes.”
The suspects forced one victim to empty his pockets, at which time they stole his (2) $5.00 bills.
It total, the suspects robbed the victims of approximately $400.
K-9 units attempted to track the suspects, but were unsuccessful.
The incident occurred in the 700 block of Southeast Wenona Avenue, Ocala.
If you have any information about this case, or know of the suspects’ whereabouts, call the Ocala Police Department at 352-369-7000 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP, text 274637 using keyword 368-STOP, or visit www.ocalacrimestoppers.com. Anonymity is guaranteed.
$1,000 reward [Click on photo to enlarge]Ocala, Florida — Two black males are on the run after police say they attempted to rob Manhattan Gyros and Subs, located at 1420 Northwest 10th Street, Ocala.
On June 30, Ocala police received a 911 call about a robbery in progress.
Upon arrival, Officer Malone made contact with an employee who stated that she had just locked the west side door of the building when she saw the two black males standing outside.
The victim stated that one of the males grabbed the handle of the door and attempted to pull it open. However, the employee had already locked it.
According to reports, the man that tried to open the door was wearing a shirt around his face and had gloves on his hands. The victim stated that she thought that the man had something in his hand, but she could not be sure.
The second male was standing behind the suspect that tried to pull the door open.
When the employee screamed for the owner, the suspects took off running.
The owner then exited the store and followed the suspects to the intersection of Southwest 16 Court and Southwest 8th Place, where he lost visual.
A Marion County sheriff’s K-9 unit met Officers Morales and Coker and attempted to track the suspect, but were unsuccessful.
The attached surveillance photos are from a nearby business. OPD is still waiting on video surveillance from Manhattan Gyros and Subs.
Police believe this attempted robbery is linked to others in the area because the suspects have the same modus operandi (MO). Detectives said that the suspects also appear to be working in pairs and could be part of a larger group.
Employees and businesses owners should be aware of their surroundings and take extra precautions at closing time.
In addition to Crime Stoppers, OPD is also offering a $1,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest.
If you have any information about this case, or know of their whereabouts, call the Ocala Police Department at 352-369-7000 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP, text 274637 using keyword 368-STOP, or visit www.ocalacrimestoppers.com. Anonymity is guaranteed.
Motorists traveling along Northwest 42nd Place between the intersections of Northwest Gainesville Road and North U.S. Highway 441 will experience temporary, intermittent lane closures July 6 to July 31, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., due to utility work, a Marion County press release states.
Crews will place barricades and signage to direct traffic through the work zone.
Travelers should expect delays and use alternate routes when possible. Adverse weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances could affect the work schedule.
All motorists should be aware of their surroundings and pay attention to the road when driving, especially in construction or road work zones.
For more information, contact the Office of the County Engineer at 352-671-8686.
Ocala, Florida — This year will be the 46th annual God and Country Day festival, Marion County’s largest firework show.
Activities begin at noon and will continue until the fireworks are over.
Take your family and enjoy old fashioned sack races, balloon toss, ceremony of the flags, train rides, inflatable water slide, bounce houses, kid games, and more.
The entertainment includes XRT Dance Crew, Dane Meyers Music, Jay Bailey Backwoods Countryboy, and The Shane Wooten Band.
Visit the arts and crafts expo and grab a bite to eat from the food vendors.
At dark, the half hour long spectacular firework display will light up the sky.
The festival will be held on July 4, at the Golden Ocala Property, located at 7340 US-27, Ocala, 34482.
The parking entrances are off of 225A, South of Hwy 27, and there is a parking fee of $5 at the entrance.
Christopher M. Conger, [left] and Jeremy RobertsonOcala, Florida — All charges against two men who allegedly planned an attack on the Eustis Police Department have been dropped.
Ocala Post obtained an eight-page memorandum from the State Attorney’s Office that outlines why the charges were dropped.
In May, Christopher M. Conger, 32, and Jeremy Robertson, 29, were arrested after the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said they received a tip that the two were planning an attack on the EPD with a grenade rocket launcher.
The tip came from Brandon Stevens, an inmate who was arrested by MCSO on an outstanding Lake County warrant.
While at the Marion County Jail, Stevens had asked to speak with a detective about unspecified crimes; however, he was not contacted and was transferred to the Lake County Jail. Once he was transferred, he asked to speak with a detective with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Stevens was interviewed by a Lake County Detective, but Stevens’ statements were not recorded. The detective also failed to write a report on the interview.
A Lake County Detective then passed the information on to MCSO.
Stevens claimed that he saw missile containers in a floor safe located in a shed on the property, located at 17459 Southeast 260th Avenue. He said that he saw Conger return the “rocket launcher” to the floor safe, and then he discussed the alleged attack on the Eustis Police Department.
According to the memo, Eustis Police Chief Gary Calhoun said that he was familiar with Steven’s and his family. The chief was also aware that Stevens had a long history of mental health issues that would cast doubt on any statement he made to authorities. He also said he was not contacted about the matter by MCSO.
The memo also states that, after MCSO received the information from the LCSO about the statements that Stevens made, they did not interview him. Instead, they went to the property and confirmed that there was a shed on the property, the container was built into the floor, and that there may have been some sort of “booby trap” device on the property. The “shed” turned out to be a multi-room shed that was being lived in. Based on these observations, and the unrecorded statement of Stevens, a search warrant was obtained.
MCSO investigators remained on the property while the search warrant was being obtained. The search warrant was approved by the State Attorney prior to the judge signing it.
Upon execution of the search warrant, Robertson and Conger were found in the multi-room shed.
The floor safe only contained a few pieces of paper, a photo of a man who lived on the property, and some photos of women.
The memo noted that the dimensions of the safe were not mentioned in any reports, but photos showed that the safe was not large enough to hold the items described by Stevens.
Also on the premises, investigators found 22 firearms, several containers of black powder , two bullet proof vests, powder and crack cocaine, more than a pound of marijuana, prescription pills, scales, and other drug paraphernalia.
The memo states that none of the drugs or weapons were found in plain view.
In the “Under charging decisions” section, the memo states:
“All current charges stem from the items found after the initial search warrant. If those charges were litigated, the Court would likely be presented with the question of the validity of the first search warrant. The failure of the law enforcement officers to conduct an interview of the source prior to applying for the warrant in order to verify and document his very serious accusations would present a serious problem in an argument in support of the validity of the warrant.”
The sheriff’s office said they had probable cause for Conger’s and Robertson’s arrest and they were charged accordingly. They said they presented the case to the State Attorney’s Office, who ultimately chose not to prosecute Conger and Robertson for these offenses.
Sheriff Chris Blair said, “I believe that the Eustis Police Department is still standing today because of the agency’s actions to interrupt criminal activity by these two individuals that could have possibly caused death and destruction to a number of innocent people.”
Full, unedited details of this case, including, but not limited to, all charges and why the charges were dropped, can be viewed here.
Ocala, Florida — Marion County UF/IFAS Extension Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are teaming up again this year to offer the National Diabetes Prevention Program to adults who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes.
This 16-week program will be held on Thursdays beginning July 16, from 8:15-9:15 a.m. at Marion County UF/IFAS Extension Service, located at 2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala.
If you have pre-diabetes, now is the time to take charge of your health and make a lifestyle change. Pre-diabetes is treatable, but left untreated, up to one-third of people with pre-diabetes will progress to diabetes within five years.
Trained professionals will lead pre-screened participants using an approach proven to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in adults and includes:
CDC-approved curriculum
Trained lifestyle coach to guide and encourage participants
Skills to help participants lose weight, be more physically active and manage stress
Group support
16 weekly meetings
Six monthly follow-up meetings
The class size is limited for this free program, and the registration deadline is July 7. To register, or for information on other nutrition programs offered by Marion County UF/IFAS Extension Service, contact Nancy Gal at 352-671-8400 or e-mail nancy.gal@marioncountyfl.org.
Jessica Giraldo [left], Jennifer Giraldo [center], and Joseph JeanOcala, Florida — Three people — a man and twin sisters — were arrested, following a domestic disturbance at Carrington Lane Apartments, located at 3001 Southeast Lake Weir Avenue.
The Ocala Police Department responded to the apartment complex after a witness reported loud yelling and screaming coming from the parking lot.
When Ocala Police Officer E. Ramjit arrived, he saw a female, later identified as Jessica Giraldo, 19, standing by the front passenger window of a vehicle with a knife in her hand.
The officer then exited his vehicle and ordered Jessica to drop the knife, and she complied.
According to reports, Jessica’s twin sister, Jennifer Giraldo, 19, approached and began yelling that the man in the front seat of the car, later identified as Jean M. Joseph, 19, was the problem.
Jessica stated that she had confronted Joseph after he punched her friend, his ex-girlfriend, in the mouth. She said that when she confronted Joseph, he became angry and grabbed her by the throat, and choked her until she almost lost consciousness.
During the investigation, police learned that Joseph had punched his ex-girlfriend in the mouth. Police reported that she was bleeding from the mouth and her lips were swollen.
According to reports, after Joseph allegedly choked Jessica, she ran to her apartment and grabbed a knife.
She told the officer, “I was going to kill the person that tried to kill me.”
Officer Ramjit stated that he did not see any marks on Jessica’s neck. He also stated that she was heavily intoxicated.
Joseph refused to cooperate with police and would not press charges against Jessica for assaulting him with a knife.
He was arrested and charged with Domestic Battery. After he was arrested, he changed his mind and asked to press charges against Jessica. He was advised that he would need to address that issue with the State Attorney’s Office since he initially refused.
Joseph was released on $1,000 bond.
Both Jessica and Jennifer were arrested and charged with Brawling Fighting Corrupt Public Moral Decency. They were released on $250 bond each.
