Celia Rose Jeffreys [Photo by Erica Lynn Portraiture]Ocala, Florida — A young girl from Ocala has been chosen to represent Florida in the prestigious All-American National American Miss (NAM), which teaches young girls life skills and confidence. NAM is not a beauty pageant; they are building tomorrow’s leaders.
From a very young age, Celia Rose Jeffreys, 10, wanted to be a dancer and loved to be on stage.
Lena Jeffreys, Celia’s mother, said that she displayed qualities from a very early age that made her believe Celia would “go places” and do great things in life.
The honor roll student, who attends South Ocala Elementary, loves school, dancing, her friends, and being on stage. But most importantly, she loves her family.
Lena said that Celia was extremely close to her great-grandmother before she passed away.
“Celia would always have tea parties with her great-grandmother. Near the end of her grandmother’s life, Celia would just cuddle and read to her,” Lena said.
Celia is also a peacekeeper; she always wants everyone to get along.
She always strives for approval in every task she commits to, because she wants to know she is doing it correctly, especially when it comes to her schoolwork and being on stage.
Speaking to Celia, one would never know they were speaking to a 10-year-old child, as she speaks very eloquently.
Celia said she takes school very seriously, but Extensions Dance Studio, where she attends dance classes, is her home away from home.
She said her dance team is her second family.
Celia was very excited to hear that she had been invited to participate in the interview process for NAM, as was her mother.
During the interview process, the girls are judged on poise in formal wear (30 percent), communication skills during the interview process (30 percent), confidence and communication skills in the personal introduction (30 percent) and community service (10 percent).
There are also optional competitions such as talent, most photogenic, casual wear modeling, top model search, actress, spokes-model, best thank you note, best resume, most promising model and so on.
The girls are judged by a completely separate panel of judges than those who judge for the crown.
At the state level, In Celia’s first year, she placed in the top 10 out of 130 girls. This year, Celia won’t know what she ranked for another few weeks, but she did place in the top 25. She also took home the title for Miss Photogenic (2nd year in a row), 1st runner up Most Promising Model, 2nd runner up casual wear modeling, and 2nd runner up in talent.
Now, Celia has been chosen to represent Florida at the National level, but she just has one little bump in the road: funding.
The competition is being held in California and would cost an estimated $6,000 for Celia to travel to California and fulfill her dream.
When asked why she wants to go, Celia replied, “I would like to have sister queens and help other girls believe in themselves.”
She went on to say, with the biggest smile on her face, “I would have so much fun representing Florida and meeting new friends.”
Lena said she does not put pressure on her daughter to do this: “This is all Celia.”
Lena said, “We are so grateful to everyone who helped her get this far and it is only the beginning! There are so many doors that could open from this opportunity and we know she will do great! Who knows, we might be dealing with the next Zendaya from Disney!”
Lena is hosting a fundraiser with Infinite Ale House — a beer tasting event which will take place on September 30, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Tickets will cost $20 and attendees get to taste all 10 of the beers brewed at the Ocala at Infinite!
Also, there are several different levels of advertising and sponsorship opportunities available. For more information, call Lena at 352-207-7065.
If you would like to help this little girl live her dream and represent Ocala in a big way, you can do so by visiting Celia’s GoFundMe page at http://www.gofundme.com/gcyp6v6c.
Ocala, Florida — Ocala police recently arrested a man they say beat another homeless man with his own crutches and then robbed him.
The incident occurred on Monday near the intersection of Northwest 4th Avenue and Northwest 2nd Street, Ocala.
Police stated that the victim was walking with a man, later identified as John Wooten, 34, when all of a sudden, Wooten took the victim’s crutch and began to beat him until the crutch broke. Wooten then stole the victim’s glasses.
Police arrived at the scene to find the victim sitting Indian style on a curb.
According to reports, the victim had blood dripping from multiple areas of his head, lacerations on his knuckles on both hands, and bruising on his forearms.
The victim told the officer that he sustained the lacerations and bruises as he attempted to block the hits from the metal crutch.
According to reports, the homeless man was unable to walk, so, he crawled to the intersection where Good Samaritans helped him and called 911.
The victim was then transported to Munroe Regional Medical Center.
When police located Wooten, despite being in possession of the victim’s glasses, he denied any knowledge of the beating.
Police put together a photo lineup and presented it to the victim while he was still in the hospital. The victim positively identified Wooten as the attacker.
Wooten was arrested and charged with Robbery with a Weapon. He had just been released from jail on September 6, 2015.
Ocala, Florida — Ocala Post is currently investing city councilman John M. McLeod, after receiving information that suggests he failed to list all real property on his Statement of Financial Interests’ forms.
The disclosure of all real property as an elected official is state law.
The submitted complaint against McLeod reads:
Please accept this complaint against John M. McLeod. Mr. McLeod has been a city councilman representing the city of Ocala’s 4th district since December 6th, 2011. In that time Mr. McLeod has filed four ‘Form 1: Statement of Financial Interests’ forms (encl.) While there are several inconsistencies with Mr. McLeod’s disclosures (for one, while required, the manner of calculating re-portable interests is never disclosed on any of the four submitted forms,) this complaint is specifically about the failure to disclose all real property under ‘Part C’ of the ‘Form 1.’
As required by s. 112.3145 (3) (a) 3, local officers must report “the location or description of real property in this state . . . when such person owns in excess of 5 percent of the value of such real property.” The ‘Form 1’ instructions further state that an officer or candidate for office must list “all real property in Florida in which you owned directly or indirectly at any time during the previous tax year” and further clarifies two important points.
“Indirect ownership includes situations where you are a beneficiary of a trust that owns the property, as well as situations where you are more than a 5% partner in a partnership or stockholder in a corporation that owns the property.”
“The location or description of the property should be sufficient to enable anyone who looks at the form to identify the property. A street address should be used, if one exists.”
Please find the following:
Mr. McLeod, as self-reported on each of his attached financial discloser forms, is a more than 5% stockholder in Silver Springs Groves, Inc. In fact, he reported in 2011 the he was a 30% stock-owner of the corporation.
In a short review of Marion, Alachua, and Citrus counties, 18 properties owned by Silver Springs Groves, Inc. were found that are not disclosed on any of the ‘Form 1’ disclosures submitted by Mr. McLeod (Encl. with parcel number, address, transfer history, book and page of transfer when available.) Mr. McLeod’s failure to disclose his interests in these properties prohibits “anyone who looks” from determining potential conflicts of interest and should be corrected.
###
During a phone conversation, State of Florida Commission on Ethics spokesperson Kerrie Stillman said, “At this time, we can neither confirm nor deny an investigation in regards to a complaint against John M. McLeod.”
Ocala Post reached out to the city council, however, a response was not received.
Orlando, Florida — Currently, 10 people are searching a property East of Lake Apopka/North of 50/South of 441, where a king cobra went missing.
The cobra is approximately 8 feet long. It was reported missing by its owner, Mike Kennedy, who has a permit to be in possession of exotic the snake.
According to officials, a series of storms caused a tree limb to fall on Kennedy’s house, where the snake’s cage was located. Area flooding then allowed the snake to escape its cage.
Article continued below
King Cobra without its hood flared.
Civilians who are not trained in handling venomous snakes are warned not to approach it if you see it.
This species is the world’s longest venomous snake, with a length up to 18.5 to 18.8 ft. The king cobra is considered to be a dangerous snake and has a fearsome reputation and striking range. However, it usually only engages humans if it’s provoked.
This snake may deliver multiple bites in a single attack, but adults are known to bite and hold on. Officials said that technically, the venom from a single bite is strong enough to kill up to 20 people, or one elephant.
A good defence against a cobra for anyone who accidentally encounters this snake is to slowly remove a shirt or hat and toss it to the ground while backing away.
All civilians and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff who are on-site at the 10-acre property are experienced snake handlers.
FWC has positioned officers at the perimeter of the property, and are prepared to respond to any sightings in the neighborhood. Additionally, a biologist is on the way to the area to prepare a capture plan.
In addition to the property, officers are also patrolling a nearby elementary school as a precaution.
In a voice message to parents, Clarcona Elementary School Principal Robert Strenth said, “We are moving all outside activities, including P.E. and recess, inside. And we will be relocating our portable classrooms into the main building.”
FWC said that all hands are on deck as they continue to search for the escaped king cobra in the Orlando area.
The cobra was reported missing on September 2. For some, the good news is that the king cobra eats other snakes.
Report any cobra sightings to our Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC.
Caesar [left] Photos courtesy of Mike MelodySilver Springs, Florida — Imagine letting your pet outside to go to the bathroom, hearing a yelp, then finding your beloved family member motionless on the ground.
That is exactly what happened to Mike Melody of Silver Springs.
Melody, who has four inside dogs, let them outside around 4 p.m. on August 26, to do their business.
Melody said, “About 10 minutes later I heard a yelp and ran to see what had happened. To my horror, I saw my long-hair Dachshund, Caesar, lying on the ground.”
Melody told Ocala Post that he ran over, and his heart sank when he saw two puncture wounds on the dog’s nose.
“I picked him up and took him inside,” Melody said. “When I went back outside I saw a pygmy rattlesnake and I panicked. I knew my dog was in trouble. I used a machete to kill the nasty [snake].”
Moments later Melody returned to Caesar’s aid, but he could hardly recognize him. In a matter of minutes, the dog’s face had already begun to swell.
“I immediately drove, or should I say sped, Caesar to Magnolia Animal Hospital,” Melody said.
According to the paperwork from Magnolia Animal Hospital, Caesar was treated with anti-venom. The anti-venom cost Melody $840.00, but he didn’t care as long as his beloved pet would be okay. However, he was thankful that only one vial was needed to treat Caesar.
Caesar was then taken to UF emergency hospital for observation.
Between both hospital visits, the bill totaled $1,400.
For many, this is a small price to pay to save a family pet, whom many consider family members.
Melody said that the veterinarian told him that because of the abundance of rain Ocala has experienced, that snakes are looking for higher and dry ground.
Melody said that in the future, he will always go outside with his dogs.
Silver Springs Shores — On Wednesday, Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Helicopter Pilot, Sergeant Darren Bruner, and Tactical Flight Officer, Sergeant John Rawls, were assisting deputies on the ground with a suspicious vehicle investigation in the area of Almond Road and Banyan Road when Sgt. Bruner advised his helicopter had been struck with a laser.
Sgt. Bruner reported that while he was circling near the incident of the suspicious vehicle, a red laser hit the helicopter and appeared to track it.
Sgt. Bruner stated that he then navigated the helicopter in the direction of the laser and was hit with the red laser at least three or four more times.
According to reports, it was during that time that Sgt. Bruner momentarily had a hard time seeing out of his night vision goggles.
Sgt. Bruner was then able to pinpoint the exact location where the laser was coming from and direct ground deputies to that area.
As the deputy approached the garage of the house, the suspect, later identified as Mark Geoghagan, 55, stepped out of the garage.
When the deputy asked Geoghagan why he was shining a laser at the helicopter, Geoghagan replied, “It was not a laser.”
Geoghagan then voluntarily retrieved a gray Bosley LaserComb and showed it to the deputy. A lasercomb is a device that uses lasers to stimulate hair growth.
On the handle of Bosley LaserComb there was a warning label that read: Laser Light, avoid direct eye exposure, class 3R laser product.
Geoghagan told the deputy that he was in the backyard when he pointed the laser at the trees. He said he was surprised at how far it went, so, he “pointed it into the air and the helicopter flew by.”
Geoghagan stated, “I did not know it would go that far. I did not intend to hurt anyone.”
“When they flew by I pointed [the laser] that way and I had no idea that it would even reach anywhere, no sir,” Geoghagan stated.
Geoghagan then asked if there was anything he could do for them. “I’ll even cut your grass,” Geoghagan stated.
Geoghagan was arrested and charged with Pointing a Laser Light at Driver or Pilot of Sheriff’s
Department Helicopter/Pilot, which is a third-degree felony.
Geoghagan is being held on a $2,000 bond.
MCSO said that they do not have video of the incident.
Lowry Park Zoo Official Press Release — Do you like free? How about free admission for kids* at the top-attended zoo in the Southeast every Saturday in September?
In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is introducing family-friendly Saturday celebrations known as Que PasZoo which will showcase Latin culture — and kids attend free.*
Each Saturday during the month of September, Zoo guests will find a variety of Latin entertainers, local artisans, games of dominoes, and character appearances by Nick Jr.™ favorites “Dora the Explorer” (9/5), “Pablo” the penguin from the Backyardigans (9/12), “Diego” (9/19) and “Team Umizoomi” (9/26). Latin-inspired food will be available for purchase.
With each full-priced paid adult admission purchased during Que PasZoo, guests can bring up to four kids free (ages 3 to 11). Lowry Park Zoo said it is the most affordable Saturday fun day in town!
*This special September savings offer is valid for Zoo daytime admission on September 5, 12, 19 and 26 only and must be purchased on that date at the Zoo’s ticket windows. Adult must accompany minors. Offer not combinable with any other discounts. No cash value.
Umatilla, Florida – A Umatilla man faces charges of Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon and Aggravated Domestic Assault after he struck a woman in the face with a beer bottle.
Deputies responded to the 16000 block of Southeast 251st Terrace after a man called 911 and reported that a woman with large lacerations on her face had come to his home seeking help.
The victim stated that she and Pedro R. Martinez, 54, were involved in a verbal altercation, which later turned violent.
The victim told deputies that the argument started because Martinez was jealous and accused her of wanting to have sex with his friend.
According to reports, during the argument, Martinez picked up a full beer bottle and shattered it on the woman’s face.
The victim said that she then locked herself in a bedroom so Martinez could not get to her. However, Martinez kicked the door down.
Martinez then ran into the bedroom with a butcher knife raised in the air and stated, “I’m going to finish you.” That is when Martinez’s friend pulled him away, which allowed the victim to escape.
When deputies located Martinez, he was passed out on a lawn chair. Deputies reported that he smelled of stale beer and sweat and that he had urinated on himself.
When deputies woke Martinez they learned he did not speak English, at which time a Spanish-speaking deputy was called.
At first, Martinez denied hitting the woman. He later changed his story and stated that the woman had attacked him first, and he “may have hit someone.”
However, the witness corroborated the victim’s story.
Martinez is being held on a $15,000 bond.
According to the arrest affidavit, Martinez is an illegal alien.
Ocala Post asked the MCSO if Martinez would be deported, however, a response was not received by the time this article was published.
The victim was transported to a hospital and treated for her injuries.
Ocklawaha, Florida — An Ocklawaha woman was charged with 8 counts of felony Animal Cruelty-Cause Cruel Death Pain and Suffering following an inspection of her property by Marion County Animal Services.
Animal Control Officer Richard Pratt responded to 16750 Southeast 95th Street Road, Ocklawaha, after receiving a tip that Melanie A. Owen, 52, had been neglecting dozens of animals.
After obtaining permission from Owen, Officer Pratt inspected the property.
The officer found 11 pigs — 7 adults and 4 piglets — that were underweight from lack of nutrition. Eight of the pigs were severely emaciated, with all bones and spine prominent. The pigs had very little fat coverage, and the entire skeletal frame was exposed.
In addition to the pigs, officers also found several adult chickens, baby chicks, and a turkey that were not being properly cared for.
According to reports, the feed barrels located on the property were empty. The officer reported that he did find a barrel that contained chicken scratch, but it was filled with water and the feed appeared to be fermenting. The feed was soaked with water and was infested with maggots. Additionally, the animals did not have clean water.
Veterinarian Dr. Martha Zimmerman, Animal Control Manager for MCAS Nathan Dickerson, Compliance Officer Jim Sweet, Coordinator Rick Hunyadi, and Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy Rendall also responded to the home.
When officers notified Owen of their findings, she stated that she was just on her way to purchase some feed.
Owen said that she had purchased five bags of feed within the last two weeks, however, when asked to produce receipts for the previous purchases, she was unable to do so.
This is not the first time Owen has been in trouble with Animal Services.
On January 29, 2014, Animals Services responded to the same address and found a horrifying site.
According to reports, officers discovered severely emaciated pigs that were being eaten alive by vultures. In the January case, officers reported that the vultures were most likely attracted to the property by two pigs that were found dead.
Officers seized animals from Owen’s property at that time.
Owen was closely monitored by Animal Control for six months and the January 2014 case was closed in August of 2014.
A year later, Owen was back to her old habits.
Dr. Zimmerman reported that one of the pigs from this case was so emaciated that it could no longer walk and had to be euthanized. Zimmerman said the pig was suffering.
The remaining animals will be treated and monitored closely.
Florida — Insurance rates for children enrolled in the Florida Healthy Kids full pay insurance plan are going to almost double on October 1, 2015. In response, the Health Insurance Marketplace, or “Obamacare,” is extending its Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to allow families impacted by the rate increase to enroll in health insurance on Healthcare.gov.
The Florida Healthy Kids Health insurance program — a Florida KidCare partner — is a program that offers low-cost health insurance for children ages 5 to 18 who are not eligible for Medicaid.
Insurance can be as little as $15 a month for those who qualify for subsidized coverage. For families who earn too much to qualify, Healthy Kids offers a full pay program, which is going to increase dramatically.
For example, one of the Florida Healthy Kids full pay plans currently costs $153 per month per child. Beginning October 1, that same plan will cost $299 per month per child.
The board for Florida Healthy Kids said that one of the most expensive changes was the elimination of a lifetime insurance cap. In other words, if a child becomes seriously ill and the patient’s care needs cost more than a million dollars to the insurer, the company could simply stop paying.
The federal government recently announced that full pay families on Healthy Kids will be able to enroll in insurance through the Marketplace so that there will be no gap in insurance coverage for those individuals.
For families who would like assistance with claiming a SEP and reviewing and enrolling in a new plan for their child on Healthcare.gov, there is free help available through the North Central Florida Navigator Program. For more information and to contact a Navigator in your area, visit http://ncfnavigators.org/ or call 352-299-0380.
To contact Florida Health Kids directly, visit https://www.healthykids.org/.
Paul Nevels, 2014 file photo [MCFR]Ocala, Florida — On August 26, acting County Administrator Mounir Bouyounes selected Deputy Fire Chief Paul Nevels as the candidate to become the next Marion County Fire Chief.
Bouyounes will present his selection to the Marion County Board of County Commissioners during its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 1.
According to Marion County Public Information Manager Barbra Hernández, the hiring process included an initial round of interviews with six qualified applicants by a panel of local and regional fire rescue and governmental officials. A second round of interviews for the top two finalists took place a little over a week ago, which were conducted by Bouyounes and Jeannie Rickman, Assistant County Administrator of Public Services.
Over the past few weeks, Ocala Post has received dozens of e-mails in regards to corruption within the Marion County government. One of the e-mails included accusations of discrimination against women, which prompted Ocala Post to investigate.
Through several public records requests, Ocala Post was able to obtain the scoring sheets for two fire chief applicants, Paul Nevels and Shari Hall.
The applicants were scored based on their answers to 10 questions that address all of the major areas and requirements of the fire chief position.
In several areas required of the job, interviewers noted that Nevels showed “strong evidence that skills were not present.”
For Marion County taxpayers, an important issue is budget, which is an essential skill as a fire chief.
Question number five on the score sheet reads: What is the process you would use to prepare and present the department budget?
One of the three interviewers noted that Nevels showed “strong evidence that skills were not present,” while the remaining two interviewers noted that Nevels showed “some evidence of skill present in budgeting.”
Hall, on the other hand, showed “very strong evidence of skills present in budgeting.” This was indicated by two of the interviewers. The remaining interviewer noted that Hall showed “an advanced level of knowledge or experience in budgeting.”
Overall, Hall outscored Nevels and showed that she had skills in all areas of the position of fire chief.
In May, Ocala Post researched the requirements of the job, and found that then heir apparent Paul Nevels met very few of the qualifications to be a fire chief.
According to the job description, a fire chief is required to have a bachelor’s degree in fire science, business administration, public administration or other related field, with a master’s degree highly preferred. Also required is five years experience as a company officer in a combat firefighting position; hold, or at least be able to hold, an EMT certificate; be a Florida Professional Geologists or equivalent; have a driver’s license; and have an emergency vehicle operations certificate, or EVOC. The job description further states that having a National Fire Association Executive Fire Officer certificate is preferred.
But, a review of county records indicated that Paul Nevels only meets two of those requirements – he has a driver’s license and EVOC.
According to state records, at one time Nevels was an EMT, but his license has been labeled as “Null and Void” since 2012. This means he would have to go back to school for a semester to retake the course and pass the state exam to become certified again. If he doesn’t, placing Nevels in this position would be no different than giving a firefighter a gun and promoting him to a law enforcement position without proper training.
More astonishingly, it would appear that Nevels would not be qualified to be hired today as an entry-level firefighter, as he neither has a CPR card nor has he taken the federally required refresher courses to at least be considered a first responder.
Nevels would be handed a top-level position with a six-figure salary of $109,990.40 annually, and he is not even qualified for the job. His current salary as deputy chief is $103,209.60.
Meanwhile, first responders who actually save lives — and risk their own — barely make the wages of someone who flips burgers for a living.
Hall, according to her resume, is a certified firefighter/EMT, a State Certified Paramedic, and holds an Associate’s Degree in Emergency Medical Services.
She is currently the Support Services Division Chief for MCFR.
So, are woman being discriminated against at MCFR and by the BOCC?
Angie Sweeney, a former senior inspector/Investigator with MCFR, says absolutely.
Sweeney says that she served MCFR with her heart and soul for 27 years and 8 months, only to be forced into retirement because she got sick.
She said she was forced out and her position was given to a man because Marion County suffers from the “good ole’ boy” syndrome.
In an e-mail, Sweeney wrote, “Due to the male who took my position stating the salary was not enough money, the BOCC re-classified the position to ‘Fire Plans and Inspection Manager’ and significantly bumped the pay grade.”
She went on to say, “Sounds like sexual discrimination to me. The time I put in meant absolutely nothing to the BOCC or fire officials. I can only hope that I made some difference to the citizens of Marion County.”
The proposed wage contract presented to the firefighter union by the county, which was rejected by the union, does contain language that clarifies the amount of time an employee could be out on a leave of absence. If a firefighter has surgery, gets cancer, or has any other illness, the firefighter would not be able to take a leave of absence that would exceed 19 months in a 24-month period. If they did, they would be terminated.
According to public records, harassment complaints from women are nothing new within MCFR.
Nevels has had two discrimination and harassment complaints filed against him in a little over a year.
The last discrimination and harassment complaint was filed on May 14, by 26-year-veteran female firefighter paramedic Captain Angela Tutino.
On May 29, as with the first complaint made by a female firefighter paramedic, BOCC director of Human Resources Amanda Tart wrote in a memo, “On the face of the complaint I find it does not establish a violation of the Marion County Board of County Commissioners Harassment Policy nor the Harassment Policy in your Collective Bargaining Agreement.”
In her complaint, Tutino wrote that a culture has been created within the fire department that makes it acceptable to harass women.
She said Nevels has a bad attitude toward women.
So, how does a person who scores low during a job interview, does not have the proper education, and has a history of discriminating against women, get recommended for the position of fire chief?
Bouyounes told Ocala Post via e-mail that Nevels was chosen because he scored higher during a second interview.
Nevertheless, a reasonable person could conclude that even if Nevels did score higher during a second interview, he lacks the education and skills to hold the position.
If Nevels is hired as fire chief, Marion County will have set the lowest standards for 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.
As for Sweeney, she says she is currently seeking legal counsel.
This is a developing story. Ocala Post will keep you updated as more information is obtained.
Anthony, Florida — A man, who deputies say struck a little girl in the face over the weekend, was released from jail on a $3,500 bond Monday.
An adult victim stated that she and David J. Dees, 39, were involved in a verbal altercation when the 8-year-old female victim told Dees to stop yelling at the other adult.
According to deputies, Dees then turned around and struck the little girl in the face with the palm of his hand, causing the girl’s nose to start bleeding.
The victim then gathered the little girl, some belongings, and exited the residence to a vehicle. As the victim attempted to back out of the driveway, Dees got behind the car and blocked it.
The victim then grabbed the child, ran into the house, and locked Dees out of the house.
Deputies arrived a short time later.
Dees told deputies that he “was only disciplining the girl because she back talked him.”
He was arrested and charged with Child Abuse-Cruelty Toward a Child.
According to court records, Dees has multiple arrests for Domestic Battery.
According to reports, the Department of Children and Families was notified.
On Sunday, deputies followed up with the juvenile’s mother. The mother told deputies that there have been no further issues and that she no longer needed their assistance.
Coach Marty Smith [Photo my Thomas Gaines/Ocala Post]Ocala, Florida — With baseball’s fall season quickly approaching, the Central Florida baseball team is ready to get back on the diamond. Marty Smith will be entering his 22nd season as head coach for the Patriots, where he went 28-21 last year, and he has a career record of 612-441-4. Smith led the Patriots to a third place finish in the Mid-Florida Conference. They defeated then-NJCAA and FCSAA No. 1 St. Johns River on March 9 and finished the season Top 3 in the state with the highest fielding percentage (.965).
Coach Smith will be bringing back Assistant Coach Zach Bove who is going into his 5th season and also played for Coach Smith from 2006-08 where he was an all-conference performer. He helped lead his team to a Mid-Florida Conference title and state runner-up finish in 2007. Bove began his coaching career as an assistant under former major league pitcher Alan Mills at Kathleen High School in Lakeland, Fla. He was also an assistant coach in the Florida Collegiate Summer League. This past summer, he was a head coach in the JUCO Summer League and for the Marion County Hammers. He has been an instructor at many college summer camps around the country, including UF and Clemson.
Article continued below
Assistant Coach Zach Bove [Photo by Thomas Gaines/Ocala PostAlso coming back for his 3rd year as Assistant Coach is Jonathan Koenigsfeld who helped lead the Patriot baseball team to a Mid-Florida Conference title and state runner up finish in 2007. Koenigsfeld spent one season as a graduate assistant baseball coach at Valdosta State while earning his Master of Education in school counseling. During the summer months he coaches in the JUCO Summer League as well as for the high school travel ball team, Marion County Hammers. Koenigsfeld also coached various college baseball summer camps around the southeast.
Article continued below
Assistant Coach Jonathan Koenigsfeld
Also joining the Patriots staff as Assistant Coach is Chris Smith, who graduated from Wagner University in 2014 where he played for 3 seasons after he transferred from Ellsworth Community College, where he played one season. Coach Smith will be the outfield coach and help out in other areas as needed.
The Ocala Post had a chance to sit down with Coach Marty Smith and ask a few questions one-on-one.
OP: In what areas are you looking for the team to make the biggest improvement over last year?
MS: Consistency in the pitching staff: we were good last year, but not good enough. We would have that bad inning or that hit or two that would cost us a game. With the kids we brought in pitching-wise, we are as deep in pitching as we’ve ever been.
OP: Which newcomers to the team look like they will make a big impact?
MS: There are a couple transfers that came in and they should be battling for a couple positions. At this time it’s kind of hard to put names on that right now, maybe down the road a little.
OP: What’s your philosophy regarding recruiting out of high school?
MS: We just need to project kids to do what they did in high school here, if they’re a dominant pitcher in high school, we need to find out on what level; are they dominating good hitters or are they a lower level? So our philosophy is really just bringing in good kids to compete on this level.
OP: Out of the teams you face in the Mid-Florida conference, which team would you consider to be your rival?
MS: It would have to be St. John’s River because they have won the conference a few years in a row. So, St. John’s River is kind of the “top dog”.
OP: Who has been the biggest influence on your coaching career?
MS: My first real coach was Howard May at Terry Parker High School (Jacksonville, FL) who was there 30 something years, he laid the foundation on how to play the game right and the love of the game. Then my college coach Paul Mainieri, who coaches LSU baseball now and was my coach at St. Thomas. Howard Roy, who won the state FCCJ, he’s a long time Jr. college coach at FCCJ who I coached with, and then coached against, for probably 10 years. So I would say he would be in that group of mentors that I looked up to and learned from.
OP: How difficult is it to coach a 2-year team compared to the 4-year schools?
MS: From what I know, because I’ve never coached at a 4-year level, you just got to look at a kid and say, can you get him ready in 2 years? He might be a guy with a lot of tools, he might be a guy who can really throw, really hit, but strikes out a lot, so you just have to say, can I get that guy in 2 years or even in a year to where I need him to be? Whereas University of Florida can take a freshman and know he’s a couple years away and he might not play for 2 years, but then that 3rd year he’s ready. So the difference is we’re going to get a physically smaller kid. So the physicality I would say.
OP: How much longer do you see yourself coaching baseball?
MS: As long as I feel healthy. I’m really spoiled because I have some really great assistant coaches that make things easy and who do it at a very quality level. As long as it’s not a struggle and I’m not getting in the way of things and still enjoy it, it could be another 10 years or so. I would like to enjoy some retirement years.
OP: Tell me something that no one else knows about Marty Smith?
MS: I haven’t paid for a haircut since Jr. College; I butcher it myself.
Silver Springs – A credit card thief got caught after he left a receipt from items he had purchased in a stolen car.
Deputies say and elderly woman notified authorities when she awoke and discovered her car parked in front of her neighbor’s house along side of the road.
The victim said, “At first I thought I had been sleep walking, but then I realized items were missing from my home.”
According to reports, Stephen C. Ennis, 21, had entered the woman’s home and stole her car keys and wallet, which contained the victim’s credit cards.
Upon searching the car, deputies found a receipt for hot and spicy nuts that had been purchased at a Circle K, located at 5182 East Silver Springs Boulevard.
Deputies were able to identify Ennis via surveillance video from the store.
Ennis told detectives that the victim’s credit card was given to him by a black male escort known to him as “Ball.” Ennis admitted to being in the victim’s vehicle, but claimed he did not know it was stolen.
According to reports, Ennis continually blamed the theft on “Ball.”
However, later in the investigation the victim’s car keys in Ennis’ bedroom. Additionally, the victim’s wallet and driver’s license was found under some couch cushions where he usually sleeps.
When detectives attempted to question Ennis a second time he refused to cooperate.
He was charged with Fraud-Use Fictitious Personal ID, Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Burglary of an Occupied Dwelling, and Petit Theft.
Ennis has previous arrests in Alachua County for Possession of Cocaine and Driving While License Suspended. He has one other arrest in Marion County for Driving on a Suspended License – Second Offense.
Michael Sonneman [Arrested]Ocala, Florida — The man who took Victoria F. Edwards, 14, from her home on August 5, could be facing more charges.
Following a three week search, Victoria was located in Tacoma, Washington, on August 25. She was in the company of Michael Sonneman, 33, who was arrested by Tacoma police.
Michael was charged with one count of Interfering with Child Custody Across State Lines.
Marion County Sheriff’s Office detectives say that between April 1, and May 31, the Edwards family met the Sonneman family through mutual friends at a house warming party.
According to reports, the Edwards girls began to socialize with the Sonneman family and began spending time at each other’s residences. The girls would sometimes stay overnight. Detectives also said that the girls began to spend time at Mr. Edwards place of employment. He is employed at the Ocala Drive in, located at 4850 South Pine Avenue.
On August 5, Mr. Edwards went into Victoria’s bedroom and found a five-page hand written note. The noted stated that she was leaving the family for various reasons. Victoria was reported as a runaway a short time later.
Detectives said that between August 5, and August 19, the MCSO, Marion County Search and Rescue, and other non-profit groups searched for Victoria with zero results.
MCSO also followed up on several tips that indicated Victoria had been seen in several stores inside the Paddock Mall, including Spencer’s Gifts.
On August 19, Detective Zackary Hughes was assigned to the case. He learned that Victoria had multiple Facebook accounts, none of which had been used since she disappeared. He was also able to rule out the possibility that Victoria might have been with family members in another state.
Then, on August 25, Detective Hughes made contact with Michaels wife, who stated that Michael was in Washington State. The detective made contact with Michael, but he denied that Victoria was with him.
Michaels’ wife stated that he was supposed to be at a Motel 6, located in Tacoma. However, when the detective contacted the motel they told him that Michael never showed up for his reservation.
On August 25, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Tacoma Police Officer Olson, located Victoria in the company of Michael. Due to an ongoing investigation, authorities did not say exactly where the two were found.
Victoria is currently in the custody of Washington State child services.
Tacoma authorities will conduct interviews with Victoria and Michael, at which time state officials will determine if more charges should be filed against Michael in the state of Washington.
It is not clear when Victoria and Michael will return to Florida.
The investigation is ongoing. More details will follow in the days to come.
Ocala, Florida — On the morning of August 20, while waiting at the bus stop with his son, Shannon Guinther recorded a video of an impatient man driving around a school bus that had just boarded children in the 4000 block of 314A at Northeast 38th Lane Road. The bus’s stop arm was still deployed. The street is also a no passing zone.
As the man in the SUV drove by, parents began expressing their frustration toward the man.
The man, apparently referring to the school bus, replied, “If you all had a job, you wouldn’t f***ing need it.”
He then drove off as if nothing happened.
Guinther called the Marion County Sheriff’s Office from the scene, however, MCSO said that they could not do anything because they did not witness the incident.
At approximately 10 p.m., on the same day, following outrage from multiple parents, MCSO responded to Guinther’s home and took a written statement from him. MCSO also interviewed other parents present during the incident.
On August 21, MCSO stated that it was not a deputy, but rather the communications center that told Guinther that there was nothing that could be done about the driver going around the bus.
Tuesday, MCSO told Guinther that because of the video evidence, which allowed deputies to positively identify the driver as Marion County firefighter, Lieutenant Steve Maculewicz, he will be issued a moving citation.
The MCSO later confirmed that Maculewicz received a citation for Driving Around a Stopped School bus, which will cost him $271.00 and four points on his license.
Guinther will keep the original copy of the video on his cell phone in case Maculewicz attempts to fight the citation in court.
However, Maculewicz told the MCSO that he would not contest the citation in court, but he might enroll in a driver improvement course to have the points removed from his license.
From the beginning, parents have maintained that a citation would not be punishment enough, and have demanded Maculewicz be terminated from his position as a firefighter.
Marion County — In the state of Florida, all sex offenders are forbidden to live within 1,000 feet of any school, daycare or park, or so the state would like to have residents believe.
The state law governing where sex offenders can live was passed in October of 2004. According to FDLE, however, any sex offender who was convicted prior to the law being passed is exempt from the law, therefore allowing any sex offender who lives near a school to remain there.
What You Should Know
While citizens are required to follow every law made by man, it seems as though state and government officials can pick and choose which laws they follow. Example: Officials who approve locations for where schools will be built said they are not required to scan an area for sex offenders who have committed sex crimes against children. School officials do not even attempt to check the sex offender data base, not even out of respect for children or parents.
If a location has been chosen for a school to be built and the plans are approved before it is determined a sex offender lives next door, that sex offender cannot be required to move because they have not broken any laws. Sex offenders living near a school that is being built cannot be forced out or bought out of their homes, according to FDLE officials. Essentially, this is putting every child in said school at risk.
The double standard also applies to liquor stores.
State law forbids liquor stores to be built near schools or churches, however, in 2014 Marion County Commissioners voted against the state law and allowed a liquor store to be built right next door to a church.
In summary, many officials are overlooking the laws that were meant to protect our children.
Ocala, Florida — On Saturday, Marion County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a Walmart located at 9570 Southwest Highway 200, in reference to a theft.
The victim told the deputy that as she was attempting to make a purchase, she had handed her Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to the cashier to redeem points to apply toward her purchase.
According to reports, the cashier, Markeisha L. Burwell, 22, could not figure out how to redeem the points using the phone, so, she called a customer service manager.
After the transaction was complete, the victim walked out of the store and forgot her phone.
The victim told the deputy that she did not realize it was missing until she got home.
The victim then returned to the store and notified management and loss prevention.
Security footage showed that Burwell concealed the phone after the victim left the store. The cashier then clocked out and went on break.
When the deputy made contact with Burwell and asked about the phone, Burwell replied, “I’m not sure if I have the phone, but if I did, it would be in my car.”
Burwell was then escorted to her vehicle, at which time she pulled the phone out from under her front seat.
Burwell told the deputy, “I have it.”
An inspection of the phone revealed that Burwell had deleted all of the victim’s photos and changed all of the contacts to her own.
She was arrested and charged with Grand Theft over $300, which is a felony. The value of the phone was estimated to be between $500 to $600.
