Marion County — Persistent staffing shortages have been the cause for Marion County Fire Rescue to shut down ambulances over the last few months. This event, called a “brown out,” has been putting a strain on the ambulance system. The “brown out” has forced MCFR to empty out response zones that are both paid for and expected by county residents from On Top of the World, Belleview, and Ft. McCoy. However, these firefighter-staffed ambulances are parked on street corners in the city of Ocala waiting for medical emergencies for city residents.
This past Saturday was particularly stressful for Marion County due to three ambulances being shut down.
On any given day, approximately 150 firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs are scheduled to be on duty to help citizens with any emergency.
And, in spite of 28 employees on overtime on that day, there still was not enough staff to cover the three ambulances that were browned out, which cover the city of Ocala.
With these 28 employees, nearly 20 percent of the staff of firefighters and EMS workers was on overtime that day
Even more problematic is that three of those individuals were on mandatory overtime, the practice of forcing employees to continue working through another 24-hour shift. This occurs nearly every day.
Sadly, it has come to this. Firefighters are forced to stay on duty to protect Marion County. Even more remarkable throughout the ongoing pay dispute is that Marion County Commissioners use the pay from both the voluntary additional shifts and this forced overtime as proof that these rescue workers do not suffer from low pay.
This practice is yet another reason that firefighter paramedics continue to flee this county for other areas that offer higher pay, less hours, and better benefits.
As of now, there appears to be no end in sight as the County Commissioners have refused to talk about these issues other than to deny that problems exist.
In September when a group of Okaloosa County elected officials met with over 200 citizens in an “Accountability Okaloosa” town hall meeting, one of the topics on many minds was tightening financial controls and improving fiscal stewardship at the county level.
The elephant in the room was the Tourist Development Council scandal replete with theft on a grand scale, suicide, and auditors’ reports citing lack of oversight by the county commission and predicting future problems unless there was change.
Significant change came at the voting booth. A county commissioner and clerk of courts chose to leave office instead of facing voters. Elections sent a second commissioner packing. Still, the moral of the Okaloosa county mismanagement scandal is that good government has to be based on more than what politicians do when no one’s looking. Good government requires a solid code of ethics and clear, tough, transparent oversight policies.
A long stride toward local government accountability was made today in the Florida Senate with the passage of SB 1372, which I’m privileged to sponsor. The bill, negatively inspired by the Okaloosa experience, is a clean-up of ol’ boy practices and wink-and-nudge government. It doesn’t go as far as I would prefer but, as Jeb Bush said about education, when it comes to ethics, “Reform is never finished. Success is never final.”
SB 1372 has a wide sweep, bringing more open government sunshine and better fiscal behavior to school districts, charter schools, colleges and universities, public hospitals, regional transportation authorities, state boards and commissions, public/private partnerships like Enterprise Florida, water management districts, tourist development boards and, yes, county and city governments.
Responding to the excuses of some officials who shrug that, while unfortunate, sloppy management isn’t against the law, the legislation defines “abuse” as “misuse of authority or position for personal gain” and “fraud” as “intentional misstatements or omissions…to deceive users of financial statements.” “Waste” means “using or expending resources unreasonably, carelessly, extravagantly, or for no useful purpose.” All are illegal under this bill and local and state government bodies are required to establish controls designed to prevent, detect and reveal them.
The bill slams shut a side door that had allowed local officials to set up artificial entities to indirectly do business with the government boards on which they serve.
For the first time, persons attempting to influence contracts or funding arrangements with school boards, local governments or special districts have to register as lobbyists and publicly disclose who they represent and who they are lobbying.
All local governments must post their proposed or amended budgets on their websites for 45 days and keep final budgets posted for at least two years.
Under previous legislation, which I sponsored and which became law, excessive “golden parachute” termination pay and bonuses unrelated to performance were outlawed. That law, as well, was inspired by Okaloosa county government multi-million dollar abuses practiced by a former sheriff and tax collector. SB 1372 puts teeth in that existing statute by rewarding whistleblowers, requiring that illegal compensation be recovered from those who received it (it wasn’t in the Okaloosa cases) and punishing officials who knowingly approve unlawful compensation.
This year’s bill goes further and prohibits taxpayer funds or Medicaid funds from being used for excessive pay-outs to public hospital administrators.
What aroused the ire of Okaloosa taxpayers in the wake of the TDC scandal was the reluctance of then-commissioners to remedy the 82 failings the state Auditor General cited in the county government’s financial policies. SB 1372 requires local governments to hold public meetings to enact corrective actions or explain publically why the actions won’t be taken.
The bill also mandates that outside auditors for local governments be selected by a committee that doesn’t include the officials whose management is to be audited.
Extending the landmark state ethics reforms which I authored and which were passed in 2013, SB 1372 prohibits members and officers of public/private partnership from lobbying the boards they’ve served on for a period of two years after leaving office.
The vast majority of women and men who serve in local and state government positions are people of integrity and good intentions. However, all of us understand from the uncontrolled abuses of Okaloosa County government, that good intentions and blind trust aren’t nearly enough.
One of the successes of “Accountability Okaloosa” is learning good lessons from bad examples. SB 1372 now heads to the House of Representatives, where Representative Larry Metz is sponsoring a companion measure. I look forward to passage there and approval by the Governor.
If you have opinions, criticisms or suggestions about this legislation or any issue before the Legislature, please write, email or call me. Your guidance makes me a better senator. Respectfully,
On Saturday, Less than 24-hours after the article was published, Snyder was arrested by Ocala Police.
A bail bondsman, who read the article and had knowledge of the warrants, told Ocala Post that he followed Snyder from Brooksville, Florida, to the Ocala Inn Motel on Pine Street, Ocala. He said he called the Ocala Police Department and waited in the parking lot of the motel until police arrived.
According to reports, when police arrived Snyder was sitting inside a vehicle parked in the parking lot.
Police identified Snyder by her state issued identification card and confirmed the warrants.
During a search, Snyder was found to be in possession of a spoon with heroin residue on it, a syringe, and a glass crack pipe with cocaine residue in it.
In addition to the warrants for her previous charges, two new charges of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia were added to her arrest record.
Snyder is being held at the Marion County Jail in lieu of $6,000 bond.
Authorities would like to thank everyone for sharing Snyder’s face on social media, and for the individual that took action.
Manuel Mercado Jr. passed away at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville.
[As of July 15, 2015, the full updated story can be read here.]
Ocala, Florida — On Saturday, Ocala Police responded to 244 Northeast 44th Avenue, in reference to a child who was found floating in a pool.
Upon arrival, officers made contact with the mother of the child, Brandi Dyal, 32. Dyal stated that her two sons, both under the age of three, came into her bedroom at approximately 7:45 a.m. and awoke her. Dyal told the police that the boys, who shared a room together, were “whiney.”
According to reports, Dyal put the boys back in their room, gave them each a cup of juice, and turned the television on.
Dyal stated that she then went back to bed and fell asleep, and assumed the boys would do the same.
According to police, at approximately 8:40 a.m. Dyal was awakened by her 2-year-old yelling, “Mommy! Mommy!” from the backyard.
Dyal stated that she then ran outside and saw her 20-month-old son, Manuel Wilfredo Mercado Jr., floating on his side with his face down in the water.
Dyal told police she then removed her son from the water, began chest compressions, and had her 13-year-old daughter call 911.
According to reports, the 13-year-old was on her cell phone in her bedroom at the time of the incident. She said she didn’t know the boys had gone into the backyard until she heard her mother screaming. She said that when she ran outside she saw her brother on the ground with green foam coming from his nose.
Dyal’s other daughter, 10, stated that she was asleep on the couch and woke up when she heard her mother screaming from outside. She said that when she went outside she saw her mother performing CPR on her brother. The 10-year-old told police that she did not hear her brothers walk past her to get outside.
The boy’s father, Manuel Wilfredo Mercado Sr., 24, was at work at the time of the incident.
Police reported that there was a blue Summer Escapes 15-foot quick set above ground ring pool in the southwest corner of the yard. The pool had 30-inches of water in it. Police also found a green milk crate behind the pool.
Mercado Jr. was transported by EMS to Munroe Regional Center, but later flown to UF Health Shands Hospital, Gainesville.
According to police, Mercado Jr. died at 9:42 a.m. Sunday.
An autopsy will be conducted later today to determine the exact cause of death.
The Department of Children and Families is conducting an independent investigation.
Police said the investigation is ongoing at this time.
[As of July 15, 2015, the full updated story can be read here.]
Lake Weir — It has been a week since more than a thousand dead fish washed-up on the shore of Lake Weir prompting beach closures.
The Florida Department of Health closed the beaches after the water tested positive for high levels of cyanobacteria.
On Friday, the Florida Department of Health in Marion County lifted its recreational water and fish advisory for cyanobacteria on Lake Weir as algal blooms have dissipated.
Some types of cyanobacteria produce chemicals called toxins which can, in high amounts, affect the liver, nervous system, and skin. Illness can occur when water containing high amounts of toxin is ingested. This is possible when people ingest large amounts of untreated surface water.
As a precaution, the Department recommends that any fish not behaving normally, that has sores or open wounds, or is caught in or around visible algae blooms should not be consumed. Boiling water or cooking fish does not remove or destroy these toxins.
Parents and lake goers should still use caution. Also, parents should be sure their children do not ingest lake water, especially during the warm months.
Melissa L. Snyder [MCSO]Ocala, Florida — An Ocala woman, who has multiple active warrants for her arrest, is still on the run.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating Melissa L. Snyder, 25, of Ocala.
Snyder currently has active warrants for Failure to Appear (FTA) on various criminal charges. Snyder also has five active criminal court cases in Marion County.
The Ocala Police Department arrested Snyder on March 11, and charged her with Possession of Heroin and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was released from jail on March 12. Then, on March 19, a warrant was issued for her arrest for FTA on a previous charge of Driving While License Suspended.
On March 23, a second warrant for FTA was issued on the previous charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. And on April 14, a third warrant was issued for FTA on her previous charge of Possession of Heroin.
On March 26, Snyder’s probation officer also filed an affidavit for violation of probation on a previous charge of DUI with a Minor in the Vehicle. At the time of the DUI arrest, which occurred on March 22, 2014, Snyder was also charged with Felony Child Neglect.
Snyder has been in and out of jail since the age of 18, with a total of 10 arrests.
In addition to the aforementioned charges, she has also been arrested and charged with Domestic Battery, Retail Theft, Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (x2), and Filing a False Police Report.
Each time Snyder was arrested she violated her probation.
According to court documents, Snyder had a Civil Restitution Lien Order issued against her at the end of 2014, which is still active.
Snyder’s last know place of employment was Quik King (no address available).
Snyder has a very distinctive rosary bead necklace with a cross on it tattooed around her neck.
If anyone has information, 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. For Crime Stoppers, please reference 15-38 in your tip. Anonymity is guaranteed.
Ocala, Florida — The Ocala Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a man they say beat his ex-girlfriend in the street.
The beating occurred at the intersection of Southwest 3rd Street and Southwest 7th Avenue, Ocala.
Police said the victim arrived home to find that her ex-boyfriend, William A. West, 31, had broken into her house and was sitting on a bed in the back bedroom. The victim told police that West did not have a key to her home.
According to reports, West did not have a legitimate reason to be in the victim’s house.
The victim told police that when she entered her house West immediately began badgering her with questions about other men.
The victim then decided to leave her own residence in order to avoid the confrontation.
According to reports, when the victim attempted to walk out the front door West said, “Bi**h, you ain’t goin’ nowhere.”
The victim then exited the house and began to walk South on Southwest 7th Avenue at an accelerated pace, but West continued to follow her on a bicycle while simultaneously shouting derogatory remarks at her.
Once the victim reached Southwest 3rd Street and Southwest 7th Avenue, West became physical. He began to repeatedly punch her in the head until he saw a man standing on the street corner watching. He then jumped on his bike and rode off, however, moments later he turned around and came back.
According to reports, West again started to punch the victim in the head and face until she fell to the ground. He then grabbed the victim by her hair and dragged her across Southwest 3rd Street, at which time he saw an OPD patrol car with its lights and sirens activated.
West released the victims hair, left his bicycle, and fled on foot.
The officer reported that he saw West dragging the victim across the street. Several other witnesses told police that they had witnessed West standing over the victim while he repeatedly punched her in the head and face.
West is described as a black male with shoulder-length dreadlocks and bushy eyebrows.
He was last seen wearing a yellow button-up collared shirt, Khaki shorts, and white tennis shoes.
West was just released from jail in February after serving two months for violating his probation on a previous charge of possession of amphetamine.
If you have any information about this case, or know the whereabouts of William A. West, 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.
. “Pay them a living wage so we can keep them here. This is a life and death decision for us.” — George E. Clark, Jr.
I recently read an article about many positive efforts to improve the economy of Marion County. I also read, and am experiencing, the results of one area of negative impact on the economy of Marion County. And that is the continuing exodus of our fire and EMS personnel caused by the embarrassing low salaries — 8.98 per hour – really!
We have lost 210 firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs in the last four years. We are now 50 firefighters short resulting in 2 rescue squads being closed, one right outside the gate of On Top of The World. Ambulances are being moved from our stations to cover the City of Ocala resulting in a 25 minute, instead of a 5 minute, response to On Top of The World being the new normal.
Just this week, after the tornado hit the SR 200 Communities, the fire department had to gather the specially trained former Rescue 21 crew from their new scattered assignments, bring them to Station 21 to get Rescue 21 then proceed to the disaster area. Thank God no injured residents were trapped in the wreckage of the homes.
Don’t developers, builders, realtors, and the commissioners realize that one of the first things that people planning their retirement location check is the quality of medical services, including of course, EMS and fire? Even if these people don’t care about the well-being of the residents in these 55+ communities, wouldn’t one think it would make good business sense to continue to provide the quality EMS service we had when we decided to relocate to Ocala?
People die from long EMS response times; they don’t recover from stroke without medication administered shortly after the stroke. These 55+ communities voted to increase tax revenue for schools to improve the quality of education and these communities do not send one child to school.
I want to send a loud and clear message to the County Commissioners that I and most of my neighbors, would be happy to pay a few dollars more a month to keep quality EMS here in Marion County. We have a group of dedicated and trained fire department personnel. Pay them a living wage so we can keep them here. This is a life and death decision for us.
Ocala, Florida — Do you think you already pay too much for your water and sewer in the city of Ocala?
Well, get ready to dish out even more of your hard earned pennies.
Water and sewer rates for Ocala residential customers will increase on June 1, by an average of 82 cents per month. That is equal to 1.5 percent on an average use of 6,000 gallons per month.
The Ocala City Council approved the vote 4-1. Councilman Brent Malever was against the rate hike. In fact, Councilman Malever made it very clear he did not want to raise rates for residents.
“I do not think it is the right time to raise rates,” Malever said. “We still haven’t recovered from the recession, and we have one of the highest unemployment rates in the state.”
Public Resources Management Group Inc., a consulting firm hired by the city, told the council during a presentation that without a rate hike the outcome for the utility would be unyielding.
The consulting firm told the council that without rate increases the utility’s reserves would significantly drop — from $40 million to $6 million over the next five years.
The firm said the city had not raised rates since 2008, and during that time it had lost customers.
The firm also said that the rate hike would help with any needed repairs on the water treatment plants.
Additionally, the vote included a five year plan that calls for a 1.5 percent rate increase per year beginning January 1, 2016.
The utility currently collects $27 million a year in revenue. Over five years, the rate hike will bring in approximately $1.9 million in additional funds.
The firm said that even with the rate hike the utility would still spend down its reserves. They estimated that the utility would spend approximately $23 million on capital improvements in the next five years.
Other council members said that no one like to raise rates, but they felt it needed to be done. Councilman Jim Hilty said, “We are doing the right thing for our environment too.”
Councilwoman Mary S. Rich said, “And we got to remember, we (meaning council members) have to pay the rate increase too.” She then laughed.
However, council members seem to forget that the same customers that pay water and sewer, also pay for city electric; and those rates were just increased in January.
Father fled the scene of an accident with his son.
[Last updated on April 23, 2015, at 11:02 p.m.]
“Thank you for your assistance in locating 8-year-old Jonathan Smittle,” the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said. The boy was located with his father.
The PCSO and the Department of Children and Families is currently investigating this incident.
No further details have been released at this time.
Original Article
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in locating a missing and endangered 8-year-old boy this afternoon, who is possibly with his father.
Around 2:30 a.m., Thursday, April 23, 2015, 8-year-old Jonathan Smittle, of Cape Coral, was seen by witnesses as his father fled with him from a traffic crash on I-4 near mile marker 51.
The crash involved Christopher Smittle (the father), his car, and other vehicles.
Jonathan was a passenger in his father’s car when the crash occurred. Witnesses at the scene saw Jonathan limping while the father ran from the scene with him.
According to authorities, their last known address is 2709 SW 11th Place, Cape Coral, and they are likely seeking transportation back to that area.
Jonathan is 4-feet tall, weighs approximately 50 pounds., and has blonde hair and blue eyes.
The PCSO is concerned about Jonathan due to the fact that he may be injured.
If you see Jonathan, or his father Christopher, you are urged to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200.
If you know anyone who might live in that area, please make them aware of this situation.
Anyone with information who wants to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward, is asked to call 1-800-226-TIPS. You can also log on to www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com. Anonymity is guaranteed!
iPhone and android users can download a free app to anonymously report crime. To install these free apps, please visit www.tipsoft.com.
Message that was posted to the daughter’s Facebook page by the mother.
Ocklawaha, Florida — Recently, a reader contacted Ocala Post about a common problem that many parents are forced to deal with today: Facebook. After seeing the Facebook post in question, Ocala Post decided to reach out to the woman that posted it to see if she wanted to share her story.
At first, she was hesitant to talk about her experience, but then she thought it might be good to share it as a lesson for others. She didn’t want her full name published. She said she did not agree to talk about the incident for attention. She said she wanted to do it because she honestly feels that this type of behavior is an epidemic and that more parents need to do their part.
Carla H. monitors her 12-year-old daughter’s Facebook account regularly.
The Ocklawaha, Florida, mom said that on April 21, she was about to check her daughter’s Facebook messages, when her daughter began to delete some of them.
The mother said that once she prevented her daughter from deleting all of the messages she began to read them. “I could not believe my eyes. I was horrified at the language and subject matter of these messages ” Carla said.
“My daughter is a straight ‘A’ advanced placement honors student. She is very well articulated and is normally, 99 percent of the time, a good kid. I understand that she is ‘at that age,’ but in my book there is absolutely no excuse for what I read,” Carla said.
She Added, “She does not talk like that in front of me or any other part of the family. Not one person in the family has ever heard my daughter speak like that.”
She said that her family does not act in that fashion and she certainly would not expect her daughter to.
“I will not stand for my daughter acting or talking like some uneducated hood rat,” Carla said.
Carla said her daughter is a straight “A” student because of how she has raised her thus far. She said it is because of the rules she has set that her daughter has excelled the way she has.
In some of the messages, the 12-year-old referred to a boy as her “boyfriend.” He too had a colorful vocabulary, and seemingly liked to refer to girls as a slang term for a female dog combined with a popular garden tool.
Carla told Ocala Post that her daughter is not allowed to “have boyfriends,” regardless of how innocent or kid-like it might be. She said it is a distraction from what she should be concentrating on and she is far too young.
“I don’t care if ‘all of the other girls are doing it,’ those other girls are not my daughter,” Carla said.
It also appeared in the messages that Carla’s daughter was bullying another girl at the direction of the boy. Carla said she specifically asked her daughter about that.
“She told me that she was only defending herself after being verbally attacked by the girl, but I couldn’t see the rest of the messages because she succeeded in deleting some of them,” she said. “But regardless, I would never stand by and let my daughter be a bully to anyone, it’s just not right.”
The girl’s mother said that she knows some parents will criticize her for going through her daughter’s Facebook and publicly scolding her. She said she feels [that] is the problem with today’s society.
“Many parents today, are lazy,” Carla said. “I have even seen some parents advocate this kind of behavior from their child. I have also seen parents join Facebook conversations with their children’s friends and use every curse word in the book. It is that old theory of ‘monkey see, monkey do.'”
She said as a parent she is not perfect, but she would always go above and beyond her responsibilities as a parent because that’s what parents should do.
Carla said, “Parents don’t know how to be parents today, they expect the schools to raise their children.”
She went on to say, “As her mother, advocate, and example setter, I had a long discussion with her. I talked to her about her disgusting language and made it clear that this type of behavior would not be tolerated.”
“This is part of my job as a parent. Too many parents brush it off, and [that], I feel, is part of the reason why our society is going to hell, ” Carla said.
Carla said, “After I talked to her I made the decision to publicly post the consequences for her actions on her Facebook page for all of her friends to see (and maybe understand) that this type of behavior is not acceptable.”
“Issues such as this one must be addressed the first time they happen, and hopefully (for her sake) it will not happen a second time,” Carla said. “I don’t know when this type of behavior became the stigma for cool, but it has to stop.”
Ocala Post requested a few of the screenshots Carla said she had “snapped” of the conversations, as well as a screenshot of the Facebook post that she posted on her daughter’s page. However, due to the amount of redaction that would need to be done to the Facebook messages, the decision was made not to include them. The average person could figure out what type of vulgarity, filth, and slang was in the messages.
The daughter will not have access to her Facebook page until the mother feels she can be trusted again. Carla did not immediately deactivate the page. Instead, she left it up for her daughter’s friends, and, hopefully, a few of her friend’s parents to see.
The mother also suggested to her daughter that she should choose her friends more wisely while in school.
When Ocala Post asked Carla if she had a message for other parents, she replied:
“Parent your children so they grow up into decent, productive, well rounded members of the community.”
Ocala, Florida — Marion County Fire Rescue specialty units had a delayed response to the EF-1 tornado that touched down Monday in the Palm Cay and Oak Run subdivisions, located off SR 200.
Approximately 50 homes were damaged and at least a dozen more suffered major damage.
According to the National Weather Service, an EF-1 tornado has the ability to produce winds between 86 and 109 mph.
Marion County Public Information Officer James Lucas stated in a media release that crews from six stations responded.
Upon arrival, firefighters had to cut a path through downed trees in order to gain access into one of the subdivisions.
Crews continued to work the scene with Marion County Sheriff’s Office’s Emergency Management on Monday evening to help residents place tarps on their roofs and clear roads.
According to reports, the first fire station to respond was Station 21, located near the On Top of the World community at SR 200 and SW 80th Avenue. This station is home to MCFR’s Technical Rescue Team, whose members are specially trained in the area of structural collapses and urban search and rescue. The team also has specialized equipment to deal with emergencies such as tornadoes.
However, these specially-trained firefighter paramedics were forced to have a delayed response to the tornado-damaged area.
At the beginning of March, Marion County Fire Rescue shut down Squad 21due to persistent staffing shortages and budget deficits. Squad 21 is an advanced life support first response unit that also carries much of the technical rescue equipment, including the specialty GPS devices used by firefighters to perform grid searches through devastated areas.
Since Squad 21 was not staffed, technical rescue firefighters on Rescue 521 had to be temporarily put out of service so that its technical rescue firefighters could jump into Squad 21 and bring the specialty equipment to the tornado site. But Rescue 521 was not at its station to immediately respond to the emergency.
Instead, these firefighter paramedics were on standby for medical emergencies on a street corner, miles away in the city of Ocala, near SW 27th Avenue and SR 200.
Ocala Post reported last week that this has been a constant problem with firefighter-staffed ambulances. Because of these staffing shortages, county ambulances are being placed inside the City of Ocala, leaving residents of Marion County at risk. This also happened the night of the tragic fire in Hog Valley, when the ambulance for that area was placed in Ocala, more than 20 miles away from its station.
At 3:36 p.m., the ambulance was called from the street corner where it was located. The crew was instructed to proceed back to their station with emergency lights and sirens activated, which took 9 minutes. By the time they were able to get to the tornado ravaged communities, 20 minutes had passed.
The firefighters union said it hopes that this would serve as an additional wake-up call in regards to staffing shortages related to low pay and budget deficits. They said that these issues need to be addressed sooner rather than later.
“We are very thankful (and lucky) that no one was injured during this event,” Professional Firefighters of Marion County Public Relations Director Ryan O’Reilly said.
He further cautioned, “Eventually luck runs out.”
The Professional Firefighters are still under negotiations with the Marion County government to bring back staff to station 21 and are awaiting federal mediation over the issue.
In documents obtained by the Ocala Post, Deputy Chief Paul Nevels previously stated that the reduction of staff at this station is only a temporary move. However, other documents showed that this claim might be less than accurate.
In a public records request regarding this so-called temporary staffing plan, Nevels stated, “Most simply put, there is no record or agreed-to plan by the Fire Chief or designee as to when we expect to place these units back in service full time.”
O’Reilly said, “We are proud of the efforts and accomplishments our firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs are able to make on a daily basis with the resources and staffing levels we currently have.”
Ocala, Florida — On Tuesday, much to the delight of Woodland Village residents, the Ocala City Council voted 5-0 not to rezone part of a 7.9-acre site that Walmart wanted to build on.
The store would have been situated in the 2500 block of Maricamp Road, adjacent to Woodland Villages.
The developer, WRS Inc., told the council [they] would remove the 12-pump gas station, limit truck deliveries, and offered to build a buffer around the store if the council would approve the zoning, but the council held its position.
Walmart also told the council they were willing to take the store from operating 24-hours to only being open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Due to heavy traffic the store would have generated, Fred Roberts, the attorney for the developer, proposed an additional northbound lane on 25th Avenue that would run by the store. He also said he wanted to straighten the Woodland Village entrance and exit for a safer flow. But that certainly did not sway the vote.
Council members were deeply concerned about the extra traffic and congestion the store would create.
And although council members did not support the project, Council president Jay Musleh said the property wouldn’t last long. He said, “Somebody’s going to develop this property.”
He said residents might look back at tonight’s meeting and regret the fact that Walmart is not there. Musleh is the same council member that disrespected Mayor Kent Guinn during the Trinity Lane meeting earlier this month.
Residents disagreed with Musleh. Residents say they are relieved that there will not be a Walmart coming to that area and that, there are already too many Walmart stores in Ocala.
Residents also said after the meeting that they might have supported a different grocery store, but not Walmart.
Walmart wanted to build a 42,000-square-foot grocery store and pharmacy, but justrecently laid off 2,000 employees. Too many, it just didn’t make sense.
Florida — On Tuesday, the Florida Department of Health confirmed a case of Measles in an unvaccinated adolescent in Indian River County. This brings the total cases of Measles between Indian River and St. Lucie counties to four.
Measles is a serious respiratory disease caused by a virus of the same name (Measles). The disease is highly contagious and can spread to others who are unvaccinated.
“Vaccination continues to be the best prevention against Measles,” State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong said. “Vaccination remains so important for children, adults and, families across our state to protect themselves and their communities from this serious and preventable infection.”
The Department is working with community health care partners and encourages all residents and visitors who have not been immunized to get vaccinated immediately. Vaccinations are available year round through health departments in Florida’s 67 counties or your local doctor’s office.
People who are particularly susceptible are pregnant woman, infants under the age of 12 months, and people who are immunocompromised.
Measles is spread through the air by breathing, coughing, or sneezing and is highly contagious. When a person sneezes or coughs, droplets spray into the air. The virus can live on surfaces or in an airspace where the infected person coughed or sneezed for up to two hours. It can be transmitted from four days before the rash becomes visible to four days after the rash appears. A typical case of measles begins with flu-like symptoms. The symptoms of measles generally begin approximately seven to 14 days after a person is exposed to someone with measles and include the following:
Blotchy rash
Fever
Cough
Runny nose
Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
Feeling run down, achy (malaise)
Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers found inside the mouth (Koplik’s spots)
People who develop these symptoms should contact their healthcare provider right away.
Measles is very rare in countries and regions of the world that are able to keep vaccination coverage high. There are still sporadic cases of Measles in the United States because unvaccinated visitors from other countries or unvaccinated U.S. citizens traveling abroad can become infected and spread Measles to unvaccinated or unprotected persons.
The Department said children should be immunized against Measles with the combination Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccine (MMR). Children should receive two doses, with the first at 12 to 15 months of age and the second at four to six years of age. When vaccinating adolescents and adults, two doses of MMR may be required. People with underlying health conditions should discuss additional booster doses with their health care provider to determine need.
He was booked into the Marion County Jail shortly after 5:00 p.m., Tuesday.
According to reports, Robert Loucks, 32, drove to the 5000 block of 138th Avenue Road, Silver Springs, and burglarized a home. The home homeowner was not home at the time.
Deputies said that Loucks was driving a white Chevy 3500 van that didn’t belong to him.
According to reports, when Louckes arrived at the victims home he brazenly parked the van at the neighbors house. He then entered the victim’s home.
When Loucks saw that the victim had arrived home, he fled the scene in the van. He drove through the woods around a fence line, and down the victim’s driveway, passing the victim.
According to reports, Loucks then drove the van onto Highway 314A and caused the vehicle to roll over onto its side.
By this time, deputies were already near the scene of the burglary.
After crashing, Loucks fled from deputies on foot.
Deputies recovered jewelry and a stolen Glock 9mm from inside the van. The stolen items were valued at over $2,500.
Detectives also found two other firearms in the door of the van — a .22 caliber revolver and a semiautomatic Browning pistol. The serial numbers had been filed off.
After he was arrested, Loucks confessed to stealing the items and placing them in the van.
He was charged with Armed Burglary, Grand Theft, Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon (x3), and Possession of a Weapon with an Altered Serial Number.
He is being held on $31,000 bond.
Loucks has had previous convictions for Burglary(3), Petit Theft, Unassigned Tag, No Vehicle Registration, Resisting Arrest, DUI, Possession of Marijuana, Armed Burglary, Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon, Grand Theft, Battery on an Inmate in a County Detention Facility, and multiple Probation Violations.
Loucks’ Mother, who does not want to be named, said her heart is breaking.
Jessica McDowell [MCSO]Dunnellon, Florida — Dunnellon Police Officer Adam Robinson responded to a Circle K, located at 11946 U.S. Highway 41, in reference to a woman passed out in the bathroom.
Upon arrival, a witness told Officer Robinson that a woman, later identified as Jessica K. McDowell, 29, was in the bathroom unresponsive.
The witness told the officer that McDowell had been in the restroom “a very long time,” and when she knocked on the door McDowell would not answer.
According to reports, Officer Robinson banged on the door and could hear what sounded like McDowell sliding on the floor.
Officer Robinson reported that when McDowell finally opened the door he immediately recognized her from previous run-ins with law enforcement.
According to Officer Robinson, McDowell appeared severely impaired as she attempted to walk out of the restroom.
As McDowell exited the restroom, the officer looked in and saw a hypodermic syringe with blood and an unknown substance inside it.
McDowell then attempted to flee the store, at which time Officer Robinson detained her.
Upon searching her purse the officer found a Walmart Pharmacy bottle that contained five xanax and three hydrocodone pills. The label on the bottle did not match the contents inside it.
The officer also found a spoon with a narcotic residue on it, and a baggie of cocaine.
McDowell was then placed in handcuffs and arrested.
Officer Robinson then asked McDowell if she had any other drugs on her and she stated, “no.”
As McDowell was being booked into the Marion County Jail, officers found approximately 1.1 grams of methamphetamine hidden on her person.
During her arrest she admitted to “shooting up” in the bathroom of the Circle K.
McDowell was charged with Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (x3), Possession of a Controlled Substance without a Prescription (x2), Possession of Methamphetamine, and Smuggling Contraband into a Detention Facility.
She is being held on $12,300 bond.
Over the past seven years McDowell has been convicted of Fraud, Armed Robbery Home Invasion with a Firearm, Armed Burglary with a Firearm, Dealing in Stolen Property, Grand Theft Auto, Maintaining a House for Prostitution, Prostitution, and multiple Probation Violations.
Police said Mcdowell has been a drug user for the past several years.
Blue Bell Ice Cream of Brenham, Texas, is recalling all of its products currently on the market made at all of its facilities including ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet, and frozen snacks because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, and abdominal pain.
Listeria infection is dangerous to pregnant woman and can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.
“We’re committed to doing the 100 percent right thing, and the best way to do that is to take all of our products off the market until we can be confident that they are all safe,” Paul Kruse, Blue Bell CEO and president said. “We are heartbroken about this situation and apologize to all of our loyal Blue Bell fans and customers. Our entire history has been about making the very best and highest quality ice cream and we intend to fix this problem. We want enjoying our ice cream to be a source of joy and pleasure, never a cause for concern, so we are committed to getting this right.”
The products being recalled are distributed to retail outlets, including food service accounts, convenience stores and supermarkets in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wyoming and international locations.
Monday’s decision was the result of findings from an enhanced sampling program initiated by Blue Bell which revealed that Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream half gallons produced on March 17, 2015, and March 27, 2015, contained the bacteria. This means Blue Bell has now had several positive tests for Listeria in different places and plants and as previously reported five patients were treated in Kansas and three in Texas after testing positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
Ocala, Florida — Confirmed tornado: The National Weather Service reported dozens of homes being damaged in the Palm Cay and Oak Run subdivisions off of State Road 200, Ocala.
On Tuesday, officials confirmed that the storm was an EF1 tornado, which produces 86 to 109 mph winds.
The tornado caused homes to lose their roofs, carports, and awnings. Fallen trees ripped up by the tornado also damaged homes.
According to reports, Marion County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management and Marion County Fire Rescue responded to the area. They helped residents place tarps on their roofs and clear debris from the roads.
At 3:21 p.m., doppler radar tracked a line of strong thunderstorms along a line extending from Interlachen to Beverly Hills moving east at 55 mph.
Areas that were not hit by the tornado had wind gusts up to 60 mph.
So far, damage has been reported in Marion, Flagler, and Orange counties.
Lake Weir — UPDATE — The Marion County Health Department announced that they will begin closing beaches on Tuesday. People and pets should avoid the water. Lake Weir in its entirety is under the advisory.
Water samples tested positive for high levels of cyanobacteria, an algae that produces toxins harmful to both humans and animals.
Also, many have posted on social media about planned fishing trips to Lake Weir. The health department said no one should swim in or eat fish caught in the lake.
Health department spokesperson Craig Ackerman said, “It is all of Lake Weir, people and pets should avoid the water.”
Children should also not be allowed to play along the shoreline where they might be exposed to clumps of algae or drink lake water.
If you come into contact with an algae bloom, wash with soap and water right away. If you experience an illness, please contact your healthcare provider immediately.
Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, grow in any type of water and are photosynthetic (use sunlight to create food and support life). Cyanobacteria live in terrestrial, fresh, brackish, or marine water. They usually are too small to be seen, but sometimes can form visible colonies, called an algal bloom. Cyanobacteria are one of the largest groups of bacteria. Cyanobacteria have been linked to human and animal illnesses around the world. (CDC)
Cyanobacterial blooms and how they form
Cyanobacterial blooms (a kind of algal bloom) occur when organisms that are normally present grow exuberantly. Within a few days, a bloom of cyanobacteria can cause clear water to become cloudy. The blooms usually float to the surface and can be many inches thick, especially near the shoreline. Cyanobacterial blooms can form in warm, slow-moving waters that are rich in nutrients such as fertilizer runoff or septic tank overflows. Blooms can occur at any time, but most often occur in late summer or early fall.
They can occur in marine, estuarine, and fresh waters, but the blooms of greatest concern are the ones that occur in fresh water, such as drinking water reservoirs or recreational waters. (CDC)
The CDC said the danger to humans and pets is not theoretical, but fact. In the past, several dogs have been reported dead after coming into contact with the algae.
Exposure to blue-green algae can cause rashes, skin and eye irritation, allergic reactions, gastrointestinal upset, and other effects. At high levels, exposure can result in serious illness or death.
Depending on the particular cyanobacterium, and the amount to which one is exposed, blue-green algae have the potential to cause a variety of adverse health effects, including liver toxicity (e.g., Microcystis aeruginosa) and neurotoxicity (e.g., Anabaena circinalis). Microcystin toxins may also promote tumor growth.
In a press release Ackerman said, “Most problems happen when water containing high toxin amounts is ingested. Abdominal cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting may occur if any untreated surface water is swallowed. Direct contact or breathing airborne droplets containing high levels of algal toxins cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose and throat. Rashes can develop when skin is exposed to the algae. Individuals should avoid coming into contact with a blue-green algae bloom, especially children and pets.”
While some algae blooms occur naturally, many are prompted by phosphorus runoff from lawn fertilizer. Some states have ban or put strict limitations on how much fertilizer can be used on lawns and farms, especially for residents that live near or on a lake. Areas that have implemented these types of bans have reported a large reduction in algae blooms.
In 2014, hundreds of thousands of people in Ohio and Michigan were left without drinking water for three days after a large algae bloom seeped into the water supply. Boiling water does not kill the toxins.
Ohio is currently waiting on new legislation to be approved that would not only limit the use of phosphorus, but also require water treatment plants to test for it on a monthly basis.
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Example of a severe algae bloom that was caused by high levels of phosphorus.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Public Information Officer Greg Workman said that the FWC has received multiple reports about a large fish kill in Lake Weir.
Workman said that large amounts of bream, bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie, and catfish have been reported dead and observed floating near the Bird Island and Lemon Point.
According to reports, FWC staff conducted an investigation on the afternoon of April 16, 2015, and confirmed numerous dead bluegill and red-ear sunfish along the south and western shoreline of the main lobe of the lake. In addition, approximately 500 to 1000 bream, black crappie, and largemouth bass were noted dead.
The fish kill is believed to be the cause of low oxygen levels in the water.
Workman said, “Warming waters, cloud cover, and rain that washes sediment into the water can cause a fish kill like this one. With the sediment being washed into the water, combined with the fact that many fish species are spawning, the conditions for a fish kill are present.”
Water samples taken by FWC showed elevated levels of cyanobacteria, an algae that produces toxins harmful to both humans and animals. Workman said this will most likely prompt public beaches to close.
The Southwest Regional Office of the Commission covers 13 southwest Florida counties and receives between 100 and 150 fish kill reports each year. While some result from spills or illegal discharges of toxic substances, most kills occur when oxygen dissolved in the water drops to levels insufficient for fish survival.
Most times, fish can tolerate temporary lags in dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. Fish kills occur only when several contributory factors occur simultaneously. Prolonged cloudy weather, drought conditions, overcrowded fish populations, excessive algal or other plant growths and high water temperatures are the most common factors that combine to cause fish kills. In Florida, most DO-related fish kills occur in the warmer months from May through September, although winter cold fronts can also trigger DO lags. A typical scenario occurs when fish are observed at the water surface appearing to gasp for breath. Fish usually continue to die from viral or bacterial infections for 3-4 days. Most of the time, this occurs after a period of rainy or cloudy weather.
During the spring, kills involving only one species can occur and these are caused from stress brought on by spawning activities. Along coastal areas of Florida, surface and groundwater inflows of salt water can kill freshwater fishes. Decomposing vegetation from aquatic plant control operations may reduce oxygen levels in the water. If this occurs during times when other environmental conditions cause low levels of DO, fish kills may occur. It is essential that only herbicides that have been approved for use in aquatic sites by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) be utilized in strict accordance with the label and that consideration be given to weather conditions and DO levels prior to application.
Application of pesticides to control lawn and crop insects can enter a pond or lake during heavy rains and cause a fish kill. Use of any type of chemical pesticide should be done with extreme caution around all water bodies.
Workman said fish kills can only be prevented by maintaining good water quality. Once a kill starts, there is nothing that can be done. State and most county agencies cannot clean up dead fish and private landowners must undertake the task themselves.
People that live in the area will have to endure the stench of rotting fish and flocks of birds until this matter resolves itself.
FWC is monitoring this situation closely.
To report a fish kill call 1-800-636-0511. To report a human illness related to blue-green algae, call 1-800-222-1222.
