A four month investigation into construction site burglaries leads to the arrest of a Hernando man.
On Friday December 18, 2020, Marion County Sheriff’s Office Property Crimes detectives arrested Dusty Ritrovato and charged him with twelve counts of Burglary to a Dwelling, four counts of Grand Theft of a Construction Site, six counts of Grand Theft, and eight counts of Dealing in Stolen Property.
According to reports, on August 24, 2020, MCSO was contacted by a construction superintendent from the On Top of the World community to report several burglaries to construction sites.
Deputies and Property Crimes detectives then began working to identify a suspect.
Between August 24, 2020 and September 27, 2020, there were seven additional incidents reported in which a suspect burglarized a home under construction and stole newly installed refrigerators and/or dishwashers from inside.
Detectives believe the incidents are all related.
Through the use of surveillance footage provided by On Top of the World, a search of gate logs from the days of the burglaries, the watchful eyes of the community, and the hard work by MCSO detectives Ritrovato was developed as a suspect.
Ritrovato was brought in for questioning and interviewed by Detective Spratlin.
When questioned, he admitted to single-handedly committing them all.
Ritrovato also provided names of people he previously worked for and had used their names to gain entrance into On Top of the World.
Ritrovato also advised he had sold all of the stolen appliances at yard sales and online.
Ritrovato was placed under arrest and transported to the Marion County Jail.
Doctors in Britain reported severe allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine shortly after it had been administered.
Britain health officials then notified the CDC.
The CDC called the reactions rare. However, on Wednesday, December 16, Juneau, Alaska health officials reported to the media that a healthcare worker who was given the vaccine went into Anaphylaxis shock and had to be given a shot of epinephrine.
According to doctors, the healthcare worker, approximately 10 minutes after being given the shot, started to have trouble breathing and turned red in the face. The worker was given epinephrine along with other medications and had to be admitted to the hospital overnight.
The CDC said that they are aware of the incident.
Following the cases in Britain, the CDC said they sent out an alert to doctors to be prepared for such reactions. Those alerts were never made public.
The healthcare worker did not have any history of allergic reactions.
The CDC now says that those who receive the vaccine should hang out at their doctor’s office for 10 to 20 minutes after receiving the shot in case they have a “rare” severe reaction.
Health officials say that allergies are always a concern with a new medical product, but admitted that monitoring COVID-19 vaccines for unexpected side effects is a much larger challenge than expected.
In an email, Ocala Post learned that potential reactions from the vaccine, in addition to the chance of anaphylaxis shock, include a sore arm, fever, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, aches and pains, chills, nausea, and headache.
The CDC said that the reactions could last about a day and are more common after a second dose, especially in younger people.
The CDC, said, “The reactions are sometimes bad enough that recipients miss work.”
However, the CDC still insisted that the vaccine is safe.
Ocala – Ocala Fire Rescue (OFR) hosted an unveiling ceremony for Florida’s first Safe Haven Baby Box (SHBB) at the MLK First Responder Campus, 505 NW MLK Jr. Ave., on December 15.
A small number of guests gathered outside of OFR’s Station #1 to witness the unveiling of the SHBB, located on the southwest corner of OFR’s fire administration lobby tower.
Remarks were provided by Ocala Fire Chief Shane Alexander, Pastor Mark Cummins, City Councilman Ire Bethea, Sr., City of Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn, Senator Dennis Baxley, State Representatives Joe Harding, and Mike Beltran, as well as Safe Haven Baby Box Founder Monica Kelsey, and Linda Znachko from He Knows Your Name Ministries.
Designed for the safe, secure, and anonymous surrender of a newborn by a mother in crisis, the SHBB is equipped with cooling and heating features, locking mechanisms, and alarm systems that trigger an immediate response through 911.
“By adding a Safe Haven Baby Box to the MLK First Responder Campus, we hope to extend a helping hand to a defenseless child and a mother in crisis,” said Ocala Fire Chief Shane Alexander.
Kelsey is passionate about the program ever since a brutal attack on a 17-year-old girl years ago.
Kelsey said, “This 17-year-old pressed charges against the man who had raped her and he was arrested and he was charged and that wasn’t the worst of it, six weeks later she finds out she was pregnant.”
Kelsey said the teen was hidden for the rest of her pregnancy before giving birth in April of 1973.
“She abandoned her child two hours after that child was born. That child was me,” Kelsey said.
If you are a mother in crisis and considering surrounding a newborn and wish to speak to a trained professional about surrendering a newborn – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – contact the National Safe Haven Crisis Line at 1-866-99BABY1 (1-866-992-2291).
The SHBB will be available for public use 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Ocala, Florida — On Sunday, September 20, 2015, the sun was just going down when John Chiguina, and his then-girlfriend, Jennifer “Shelley” Turner, decided to go for a ride on Chiguina’s black 2014 Kawasaki Vulcan motorcycle.
Little did the couple know that their lives would change shortly after they began their joy ride.
Ocala police said that Cheryl Johnson, then 46, who was driving a white 1999 Mitsubishi Galant was traveling westbound on Northwest 35th Street.
At the same time, John was traveling eastbound on Northwest 35th Street, passing through the intersection of Northwest 2nd Avenue.
As John was passing through the intersection, Johnson made a left hand turn onto Northwest 2nd Avenue headed southbound. It was at that time that the Galant violated the right-of-way of the Vulcan and slammed into the left side of the motorcycle.
Both John and Shelley were ejected from the bike and thrown over a fence into a yard.
The impact crushed both John’s and Shelley’s left leg. The couple was on the ground for approximately 25 minutes before an ambulance arrived.
Shelley was able to secure her femur and tie it in place until help arrived. Meanwhile, John was losing a lot of blood.
They were both rushed to Ocala Regional Medical Center with severe injuries.
Initially, Johnson refused medical treatment. However, a short time later, she stated that she needed to go to the hospital because of her “hypertension.”
After hearing that Johnson would also be transported to the hospital, Officer Drue Hunley performed a computer check on her and discovered that Johnson did not have a valid driver’s license.
According to records, Johnson was and still is considered a habitual offender.
With that, Officer Hunley immediately drove to the hospital and confronted Johnson. During the conversation, she admitted that she had not had a driver’s license for three years because she failed to carry auto insurance. Additionally, the vehicle she was driving belonged to her daughter.
“I never drive, but I needed something from the store so I drove my daughter’s car to get it. The next thing I knew, I was in a crash,” Johnson said. She went on to say, “I was blinded by the sun setting.”
Johnson was arrested and transported to the Marion County Jail and charged with Driving While License Suspended-Habitual Offender (F). She was later released on a $2,000 bond.
After she was released, authorities said she went right back to illegally driving a vehicle.
Article continued below
Top John Chiguina and Jessica Chiguina. Mugshot Cheryl Johnson.
Unfortunately, John’s left leg could not be saved, and it had to be amputated from the knee down. He underwent multiple surgeries.
Shelley’s left leg was broken in several places, and she, too, has had to have multiple surgeries to repair the damage to her leg — 18 surgeries over five years to be exact. She has also had a knee replacement. Additionally, Shelley’s toe was ripped off during the accident.
Astonishingly, for having endured a very life-changing traumatic experience, the two have stayed strong, relied on each other for support, and have been in good spirits throughout the ordeal. Often times, the two made jokes and used humor to get through the hard times.
On September 24, 2015, for the first time since the accident, Shelley, with some help from hospital staff, was able to get out of bed. However, at that time, she was unable to maneuver without a walker.
Shelley said the hospital had been very accommodating, and at times, allowed her and John to stay in the same room together.
In addition to the accommodating hospital staff, during their hospital stay, Shelley’s and John’s Facebook pages were literally filled with hundreds of get well messages.
On the night Shelley was able to get out of bed for the first time, she wrote, “As the saying goes ‘what doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger’ this man is my rock and my soul mate. Our bond is unbreakable. With every new obstacle, he faces he amazes me. The man above made him especially for me. I love you with everything I am. Nothing will ever change that!”
John, wrote, “I survived, I will get to bother my Shells (his nickname for Shelley) for many more years.”
The couple faced a long road to recovery, but they had a large support system behind them.
On September 29, 2015, the two were cleared and discharge from the hospital. They returned to the comfort of their own home to begin the long road of recovery.
At that time, Ocala Post asked John how he was doing considering the circumstances, to which he replied, “I can’t seem to get a leg up.”
Even after the dust settled and the nightmare set in as reality, John maintained his sense of humor.
John, who had been employed by the City of Ocala for nearly 19 years at the time of the accident, said that the city had been great to him.
“I’ve always felt in my almost 19 years of service that everyone was more than coworkers and friends, we’ve been more family than anything,” John said.
Following the accident, Shelley’s medical team wanted to amputate her leg as well. Her surgeon who led the team, however, had other plans. The surgeon had heard Shelley tell the medical team that she wanted to immediately leave the hospital and return to nursing school. When the surgeon heard [that], he said he knew that Shelley was strong enough to get through the surgeries.
Prior to the accident, Shelley had been attending nursing school in Tampa.
Now, let’s fast forward a little.
On April 16, 2016, John and Shelley returned to the scene of the crash…but not to cry and sulk in misery. No, instead, the two returned to the scene and tied the knot. That’s right, they got married. They returned to the crash site to celebrate the fact that they had not let that tragic day beat them.
Then, following more surgeries, 120 hours of anesthesia, and everyday trials that life can throw at a family, Shelley reentered nursing school on January 5, 2019, at Rasmussen College.
Shelley had followed her dream, and would you know it…2020 happened, and COVID-19 was thrown into the mix. Along with her everyday hurdles, she was forced out of the classroom and into at-home learning.
Shelley said that attending lectures and labs from home was in no way easy but she was up for the challenge. In fact, Shelley said that it turned out to be a great learning experience for her entire family…especially she and John’s son and daughter who often listened in on the lectures.
In an interview, Shelley told Rasmussen that she appreciated the care that her instructors showed. She also appreciated the fact that, despite her limp and other challenges, the instructors did not treat her like she was handicapped or coddle her.
Shelley landed her dream job and was hired on the very trauma floor where she spent many nights following her accident. She now gets to work with the very people who assisted in saving her and her husband’s life.
On September 19, 2020, Shelley graduated from nursing school, at last fulfilling her dream.
On September 20, 2020, on the fifth year anniversary of the accident, John and Shelley returned to the scene of the crash to once again, prove that they had not been beaten. They overcame tragedy as a family. They had ups and downs along the way as a family, and it was not easy, but they did it.
John and Shelley learned from one another, leaned on one another, and said they had an amazing support system of family and friends.
John said he was very proud of his wife and happy she fulfilled her dream of being a nurse.
Shelley told Ocala Post that it all (meaning graduation) seemed surreal, and that, there was a lot that had happened on her journey that was still a blur.
Shelley said that she feels like the seriousness of the accident and the recovery that followed will make her a much better nurse.
Marion County — The first doses of COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Florida and have begun to be used in the state. In Marion County, that means some long-term care staff and residents may soon be vaccinated.
The state of Florida is prioritizing the most at-risk populations to receive the initial round of available vaccines. This includes residents and staff of long-term care facilities and high-risk frontline health care workers. Following the initial distributions to these most at-risk groups, the state will work to provide vaccines to additional priority groups, including first responders. Updates on the timeline for the general public will be provided as those plans become available. The state is committed to providing the vaccine to each priority group and to the general public as quickly as possible; however, much of these plans is dependent on vaccine supply.
The Department of Health says they are working closely with the federal government to plan for the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. As the department gathers more information from the federal government on vaccine availability and distribution, this plan will continue to be updated.
In the initially planned distribution of 179,400 doses of Pfizer vaccine, 97,500 doses will be distributed amongst the five Florida pilot hospitals. 60,450 doses will be sent to the Federal Pharmacy Program with CVS and Walgreens for long-term care facility residents and staff. 21,450 doses will go directly to the Florida Department of Health to administer by strike teams in long term care facilities in Pinellas and Broward counties.
Marion County officials say cases continue to increase.
Marion County is reporting 14,938 cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of this afternoon. This is an increase of 89 cases from yesterday (Dec. 13). Of Marion COVID-19 tests from Dec. 13, 9.09% were positive. The daily positivity rate for all new COVID-19 tests in Florida on Dec. 13 was 8.34%.
Marion’s cases and daily positivity rates continue to trend high. From COVID-19 cases reported over the past 7 days (Dec. 8 to Dec. 14), Marion saw an average of:
– 138 new cases reported per day
– 9.8% daily positivity rate
– 3 COVID-19 related deaths reported per day
In comparison, from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30, Marion saw an average of:
– 70.6 new cases reported per day
– 7.9% daily positivity rate
– 1 COVID-19 related death reported per day
From cases reported Oct. 1 to Oct. 31, Marion saw an average of:
Damning emails show that, in 2017, Hunter Biden requested keys be made for his new “office mates,” listing his father, Former Vice President Joe Biden, Jill Biden, and his uncle, Jim Biden, for space he planned to share with an “emissary” for a chairman of a Chinese energy company.
These emails are in addition to the emails that came to light following an October 16 debate.
Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, had previously denied having any ties with the Chinese energy company.
Senate leaders say that Attorney General William Barr knew about the Bidens having illegal ties to the Chinese but “sat on the investigation.” The FBI also assisted in covering up the investigation.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan had also been investigating Hunter Biden’s business and financial dealings, as part of a much larger criminal investigation, for nearly a year. Prosecutors have described the situation as an “international criminal investigation,” which also implicates Joe Biden and his wife, Jill.
Barr knew about the dealings as early as spring, but the investigation was not made public until after the election. Investigators say that Barr intentionally withheld the information from the public and media outlets that he knew would report on the story.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said that the media and the American people should have been informed about the federal investigation prior to the November presidential election.
“Jordan said, “This is just wrong.”
Article continued below
He said there is no denying the corruption in the Biden family. All of them, including Jill.
In an email to Ocala Post, the House of Sweden confirmed that Hunter Biden’s company, Rosemont Seneca, did rent office space during the time period show in the emails. They would not say anything further due to the federal investigation.
The information was not difficult to find, yet, the liberal media has failed to do their job in reporting the facts…with the assistance of Facebook and Twitter and their fraudulent “fact-checkers,” they have assisted in the coverup.
CNN and all of its affiliates have made excuses in an attempt to have the public believe that the Bidens are innocent. CNN reported that the investigation did not implicate Joe Biden, Jill, and Jim Biden, however, emails show otherwise.
When investigators announced that Hunter is the target of an international investigation, AKA “tax affairs investigation,” they said that “target” means that there is a “high probability that the person committed a crime.”
Intelligence officials, as well as liberal media outlets, have labeled the investigation as “Russin disinformation.” Many outlets downright refusing to air the story.
“You have media pundits posing as experts in regards to Hunter’s business dealings. Trying to convince the public that other media outlets and investigators are lying to you,” said Federalist publisher, Ben Domench.
Domench, said, “There should absolutely be severe consequences for intel officials and media who claimed that the investigation was Russian misinformation.”
The Ocala Poice Department is asking for the public’s help with identifying an armed burglary suspect.
According to OPD, December 13, 2020, at approximately 3:20 A.M., an unknown suspect used an unknown tool to pry open the door and enter the Rural King located at 2999 NW 10th Street, Ocala.
The suspect left no sign of forced entry.
Once inside, the suspect used a hammer to smash a glass case containing firearms.
The suspect then helped himself to three firearms.
Kimber Micro 9 stainless with rosewood grip
Kimber Micro 380 stainless with rosewood grip
Springfield XDS Mod2
OPD stated that the suspect appeared to be wearing fingerless gloves.
At the scene, detectives found a broken bracelet believed to be worn by the suspect.
The bracelet has black beads with yellow crosses. (see photos)
If you have any information in reference to this case please contact Detective S. Daunhauer at 352-368-5407 or sdaunhauer@ocalapd.org.
Ocala, Florida—Marion County is reporting 13,462 cumulative cases of COVID-19 as of this afternoon. This is an increase of 182 cases from yesterday (Dec. 2). Of Marion COVID-19 tests from Dec. 2, 11.3% were positive. The daily positivity rate for all new COVID-19 tests in Florida on Dec. 2 was 8.2%.
Marion’s cases and daily positivity rates are climbing from where they were in September and October. From COVID-19 cases reported over the past 7 days (Nov. 27 to Dec.3), Marion saw an average of:
– 102.4 new cases reported per day
– 9.8% daily positivity rate
– 1 COVID-19 related death reported per day
From Nov. 1 to Nov. 30, Marion saw an average of:
– 70.6 new cases reported per day
– 7.9% daily positivity rate
– 1 COVID-19 related death reported per day
From cases reported Oct. 1 to Oct. 31, Marion saw an average of:
– 37.2 new cases reported per day
– 4.6% daily positivity rate
– 1.9 COVID-19 related deaths reported per day
CDC announces COVID-19 vaccination phases
On Tuesday, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) announced interim guidance for the allocation of initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccine. ACIP is a committee within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that provides advice and guidance on effective control of vaccine-preventable diseases in the U.S. ACIP recommended that health care personnel and long-term care facility residents receive the first available doses of COVID-19 vaccine during Phase 1 of the three-phase vaccination strategy. The committee broke the Phase 1 strategy into three steps:
– Phase 1a: Health care personnel (for example, hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient clinics, home health care, pharmacies, emergency medical services, and public health) and long-term care facility residents (such as skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and other residential care)
– Phase 1b: Essential workers (for example, the education sector, food and agriculture, utilities, police, firefighters, corrections officers, and transportation)
– Phase1c: Adults with high-risk medical conditions and adults ages 65 and older.
You can find out more about ACIP and the COVID-19 vaccination recommendations, including presentations from the Dec. 1 announcement, at cdc.gov/vaccines/acip.
Ocala, Florida — The Marion County Board of County Commissioners expressed their displeasure with how the Marion County Sheriff’s Office approached a plan to purchase the old Sears building valued at $6.5 million.
The Sears building is located in the Paddock Mall.
Commissioner Kathy Bryant said in Tuesday’s meeting that she was surprised the plans had gotten as far as they had since there had literally been no public discussion about the deal.
The law requires such issues to be discussed publicly, particularly when it involves the spending of taxpayer money.
MCSO, without even consulting the BOCC, as Ocala Post previously reported, even drafted a letter of intent to Seritage SRC Finance, the owner of the old Sears building in the Paddock Mall. MCSO was offering $4 million for the property, which is currently listed for $6.5 million.
Marion County Emergency Management says they wanted to use part of the 120,000 square foot property to store supplies and possibly be used as a shelter during hurricanes.
Bryant did not hold back her feelings on the issue, stating that “this was not done the right way.”
This issue should have been brought to the board prior to attempting to make a deal, instead, MCSO began discussing the plans to purchase the Sears property weeks ago, without the board knowing or getting approval.
On Facebook, Tim Collins, wrote, “This is typical of the sheriff, he does what he wants and makes up the rules as he goes along and people are blind to it.”
Some residents were in favor of the purchase.
“Do it. We really don’t need a bunch of empty buildings that could be used for a better purpose,” wrote Mary Morris.
Prior to discussing the $4 million dollar deal with the board, MCSO also reached out to other entities, such as AdventHealth, The Marion County School Board, and the Department of Health to sell them on the plans.
The deal would take away approximately $100 thousand in property tax revenue from the county and add $58,000 in yearly upkeep and maintenance fees.
The $4 million price tag for the Sears property is in addition to the $11 million facilities construction project currently taking place at MCSO.
Bryant said if there is a need for such property then it needs to be handled the correct way. “There needs to be a workshop and public discussion.”
It is not a magic trick, but many say it is an unethical business practice that goes unchecked.
In the video, a customer demonstrates that an order of medium and large fries from Hardee’s fast-food restaurant are one and the same. Meaning that the medium fry actually fills up the large container.
According to Hardee’s menu, there is a .37 cent difference in price between the medium and large fry.
Article continued below
This might not seem like a lot, and some might say no big deal…but let’s do the math.
At .37 cents, that means Hardee’s is gaining $370 per 1,000 customers, and the consumers are not getting what they are actually paying for.
The large box is taller, but due to the fact it is tapered at the bottom, the medium fry fills the box. The shape of the large box simply gives the appearance to the customer that he or she is getting more fries.
Ocala Post reached out to Hardee’s, however, a response had not been received at the time this article was published.
GOP state Rep. Anthony Sabatini filed HB 6003 to strip the state’s power to require mandatory vaccines during a pandemic.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has said that Florida would not force anyone to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but Sabatini said he is noting taking DeSantis at his word.
Sabatini said that DeSantis ordered Surgeon General Scott Rivkees to declare a public health emergency. Such a move, according to state law, allows Rivkees extremely broad powers during a pandemic, which includes being able to order residents to be vaccinated. The broad powers also allow Rivkees to call on law enforcement to enforce any actions he personally feels is necessary during a pandemic.
Sabatini says it is unconstitutional and strips Floridians of their rights.
The bill will be introduced at the beginning of the session in March, if it passes and is signed by DeSantis, it will take effect on July 11, 2021.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has sent a letter of intent to Seritage SRC Finance, the owner of the old Sears building in the Paddock Mall, offering $4 million for the property. According to records, the property is currently listed for $6.5 million.
Marion County Emergency Management says they want to use part of the 120,000 square foot property to store supplies and be used as a shelter during hurricanes. Additionally, Marion County would obtain a separate 20,000 square foot building that sits on the 12-acre property.
$4 million dollars, but the property would still need costly upgrades, as it only has one bathroom area, which would not be adequate for government employees.
Residents have turned to Facebook to express anger over the issue, citing it will forever change the look and feel of the area. Residents say they would much rather see the store open as a new retailer.
Emergency Management would not only be offering $4 million for the property, it would also keep its current location.
The $4 million price tag is in addition to the $11 million facilities construction project currently taking place at MCSO.
According to county officials, the city of Ocala, the Marion County School Board, and AdventHealth are interested in some of the additional square footage.
Marion County Fire Rescue says they would use approximately 25,000 square feet of the building.
The plan will be presented in a 9 a.m meeting on Tuesday at the McPherson Governmental Complex, 601 SE 25th Ave.
A statement made by Jill Biden earlier in 2020 has resurfaced amid election fraud accusations.
From sniffing the hair of young girls to inappropriately touching women, Joe Biden’s wife, Jill Biden, has defended Joe’s actions.
When asked about the accusations, Jill stated, “I think what you don’t realize is how many people approach Joe — men, and women, looking for comfort or empathy.”
Jill made the statement early in the 2020 race after several women accused Biden of inappropriate touching them. The accusations were made after several videos of Joe were circulated over social media which appeared to show him sniffing or trying to kiss young girls under the age of 18.
Jill blames those who approach Joe. Jill says she is ready to defend her husband in any way necessary…even getting physical if she needs to.
Facebook “fact-checkers” attempted to bury the statement, stating it was untrue. However, Jill, did, in fact, make the statement to hosts on Good Morning America.
Thousands have turned to Facebook to express their frustration with Jill.
Jan Collins wrote on Facebook, “He spends all of his time in his basement…should be a red flag. Shame on his wife for protecting that behavior.”
Jill said, “I think [Joe’s] gonna have to judge…be a better judge…of when people approach him, how he’s going to react. That he maybe shouldn’t approach them.”
Trump’s ongoing contests and confounding denial of the presidential election results are dangerous to America and outright embarrassing.
His actions undermine faith in leadership as well as trust in the Republican party.
It’s past time for leaders such as Sen. Rubio and Sen. Scott to publicly condemn the president’s selfish, self-serving temper tantrums and to insist that he concede.
The election results speak loud and clear that Trump did not win, and continued recounts and audits do more harm than good for Americans who need stability amidst the uncertainty and fear caused by the out of control spread of the coronavirus.
The nation needs to move forward together.
Kelley Sennstrom Ocala
Letters to the editor do not reflect the opinion of Ocala Post.
The December 2020 Ocala Christmas Parade has been canceled due to COVID-19.
The City of Ocala provides a permit for the parade and that permit was approved by the Ocala City Council on Nov. 17. The permit would have allowed for the parade to continue moving forward this year. Outside of the permitting process, the City of Ocala is not in charge of the annual parade.
The Ocala Christmas Parade is run by a non-profit organization with volunteers. The board members of this organization made the decision to cancel the parade this year.
Parade officials had originally stated that the parade would go on, however, it was later determined that participation in the parade would be smaller than usual but cost the same.
This is largely due to the fact that the Marion County School Board banned students of any school-related groups from participating in the parade this year.
Officials said positive COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Marion County.
Residents, many of whom say they are fed up with COVID-19 restrictions, have expressed great disappointment in the city’s decision over social media.
In many states, namely in Democratic-run areas, government officials have urged its citizens to refrain from celebrating Thanksgiving with large family gatherings.
Jennifer Powell, 53, who was attacked by a man with a baseball bat, and had been on life support at Ocala Regional Medical Center, was disconnected from the machine and died on Monday.
She died just a few days before her 54th birthday.
Deputies responded to the Stage Stop Inn, 5131 E. Silver Springs Blvd., on Friday after a caller stated that a woman was possibly dead.
When deputies arrived, they found that Powell had been severely beaten and was lying in a pool of blood on a sidewalk.
Powell was unconscious but still had a pulse.
Motel security footage showed a man chasing Powell, and as he caught up to her, he slammed her in the back of the head with a baseball bat. When the woman fell to the ground, the suspect, later identified as Chad Paul Anciaux, 33, hit the woman five more times in the head with the bat until she stopped moving.
He then rolled Powell over and struck her in the face and head at least ten more times.
Powell suffered multiple fractures to her face and head area.
A witness tried to stop the brutal attack but backed away when Anciaux charged at them with the bat.
During questioning, Anciaux told deputies that he loved Powell. He would not cooperate further.
Originally, Anciaux was charged with First-Degree Attempted Murder. However, the State Attorney’s Office said those charges will be upgraded.
Two children were found dead by their father, Jaykwon Singleton, and he said that his girlfriend killed them.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrested Amanda Sharp-Jefferson, 26, on two counts of murder Friday after a 1-year-old, Rose Singleton, and a 2-month-old, Lily Singleton, was found dead.
Police said they received a 911 call from the father Jaykwon Singleton and dispatchers could hear Jaykwon asking Sharp-Jefferson what happened.
During the 911 call, Jaykwon told police, “she drowned them…I feel like their mom drowned them or something.”
According to the police report, the children were found dead in a bassinet, stacked on top of each other.
During an interview, Jaykwon told police that when he arrived at the apartment he asked Sharp-Jefferson why she stacked the children like that, and she “shushed” him.
Police said Jaykwon then checked on the kids and that is when he realized they were cold and not breathing.
Even more shocking, police said, is that Sharp-Jefferson kept shushing Jaykwon and, at one point, made a statement that “the children’s organs were worth a lot of money.”
When medical examiners arrived on the scene, Sharp-Jefferson was overheard commenting on how much the children’s body parts may be worth.
According to the arrest affidavit, Jaykwon had been in a relationship with Sharp-Jefferson since 2018. Jaykwon said their relationship had been normal up until a few weeks ago when Sharp-Jefferson alleged that Jaykwon had cheated on her “with his spirit wife.”
Jaykwon said went to visit his grandmother on November 5, and when he returned on November 6, he found the children dead. He told police that nothing seemed out of the ordinary when he left or he would have never left his children with his girlfriend.
During questioning, Sharp-Jefferson denied knowing Jaykwon or having children. She told police she lived alone.
“I woke up in the morning and just found two children dead,” she told police.
When questioned about her statement involving selling the organs of the children, she stated, “I saw a movie where people can make money from body parts.”
Sharp-Jefferson told police that she was “set up” to look like she killed the children.
She never called 911.
Sharp-Jefferson is being held without bail. Her next hearing is set for later in November. She will also undergo a mental evaluation.
Marc Measnikoff, Matthew Brubaker and Terry Wallace
Three men, not from Florida, will have to remain behind bars for having sex with horses, goats, dogs, and cows after a superior court rejected their appeal.
The Pennsylvania men were arrested in 2018 and in 2019 sentenced to terms ranging from 20 to 45 years in prison.
An attorney representing the men appealed their sentences citing that the punishment did not fit the crime. If allowed, the men said they plan to submit another appeal sometime before Christmas 2020.
Terry Wallace, 42, Matthew Brubaker, 32, and Marc Measnikoff, 36, alleged that the sentencing was too harsh and that Munson, PA Judge Paul E. Cherry, only considered the nature and duration of their crimes and their recruitment of a 16-year-old boy.
Article continued below
Terry Wallace, Marc Measnikoff, Matthew Brubaker — Booking photos 2018
“The judge did not take into consideration our need for rehabilitation,” the men said.
According to court documents, the men had sex with the animals hundreds of times, and video recorded themselves while doing it.
The men used the teen to retrieve the animals and take them to a chute that the men had devised. The men would then have intercourse with the animals.
The judge said that he doubted the men were capable of being rehabilitated and that they demonstrated mental abnormalities.
“Their long incarceration will give them time to work on their mental health,” the judge wrote.
The men were charged with Corruption of a Minor, 730 counts of Sexual Intercourse with Animals, and 730 counts of Cruelty to Animals.
Florida — Coquito, meaning “Little Coconut” in Spanish, is a traditional Christmas drink.
The drink, which originated in Puerto Rico, is a coconut-based alcoholic beverage similar to eggnog, sometimes referred to as the “Puerto Rican Eggnog.”
According to officials, the drink is heavily sold over Facebook every holiday season. The drink is made with rum.
In the United States, it is illegal to sell alcohol without a license, no matter how small the amount.
According to the ATF Miami Field Divison, selling alcoholic beverages is a serious offense. Penalties can be one year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine, and/or up-to 100 hours of community service.
The ATF says it does receive complaints, namely from business owners who do spend thousands on licensing, but refer the complaints to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
DBPR regulates the manufacturing, distribution, sale, and service of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products in Florida, including receipt and processing of license applications; collection and auditing of taxes, surcharges, and fees paid by licensees; and enforcement of the laws and regulations governing the sale of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, pursuant to Chapters 210, 561-565, and 567-569, Florida Statutes.
Officials say that individuals selling the drink over Facebook have increased over the past five years and so have arrests.
Those who investigate the complaints say that illegally selling any homemade alcoholic beverage through social media undermines other businesses that pay for licensing and follow the law. Additionally, officials say it poses a health risk as far as possible contamination is concerned.
Facebook says the company will remove any posts that are reported.
Ocala, Florida — The Ocala Police Department is investigating after an Ocala man, identified as David Vega, was shot to death at a mobile home, located in the 3000 block of NW 16th Place at approximately 1 a.m. on November 15.
Victim, David Vega, deceased
When officers arrived, they found Vega underneath the carport of the home. He had been shot in the face one time.
According to reports, he was still breathing but later died from his injuries.
Detectives interviewed other residents in the home but have not made any arrests at this time.
A black cellphone was retrieved from the scene and investigators will check it for clues. Additionally, investigators found one spent shell casing at the scene.
Detectives said they do not know the relationship between the deceased and the occupants of the mobile home.
The investigation is open and ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ocala Police Department at 352-369-7000.
