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CHS Varsity Football Team
honored by city's leaders
Coach Adam Gore (left) accepts the proclamation from City Commissioner Donald Lawrence, who was one of Coach Gore's football coaches years ago when when the Chiefland High School head varsity football coach was a football player at CHS.
Story and Photos
By Jeff M. Hardison © Jan. 16, 2019 at 6:58 a.m.
CHIEFLAND – The Chiefland City Commission on Monday night (Jan. 14) recognized the Chiefland High School Varsity Football Team for its regular season and post-season success.
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Many of the players, Coach Adam Gore and another coach listen as City Commissioner Donald Lawrence reads the proclamation. Other than the players who are on the basketball team and were at a game at Crystal River High School that night, this is most of the 2018 varsity football team.
Vice Mayor Chris Jones stands behind City Commissioner Lawrence as the retiree reads the proclamation made by Mayor Betty Walker, the City Commission and signed by them and City Manager Mary Ellzey.
CHS Head Varsity Football Coach Adam Gore and several of the players were in the Hardy Dean Sr. Municipal Building’s City Commission Meeting Room to accept the recognition. Many of the varsity football team members, however, are also on the CHS basketball team and those members were in Crystal River at an away game that evening.
The proclamation signed by Mayor Betty Walker, Vice Mayor Chris Jones. city commissioners Rollin Hudson, Tim West and Donald Lawrence, and City Manager Mary Ellzey, was presented by Lawrence, a retired teacher and coach.
Mayor Walker is limited in her mobility currently. Hudson was absent that night, and Vice Mayor Jones and Commissioner West deferred to retired Coach Lawrence, who was among the coaches for current CHS Head Varsity Football Coach Gore when Gore was a CHS football player years ago.
The proclamation notes that CHS had not experienced a winning varsity football season since 2013.
It went on to state that Coach Gore had led the team to its first playoff game since 2004, and the first post-season win since 2003.
CHS ended its regular season with a 10-1 win-loss record, the proclamation noted, as it went into the playoff game against the Madison County High School Cowboys Varsity Football Team in Madison, where the home team won the regional championship game 49-14.
Commissioner Lawrence mentioned that although both teams are in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s classification as 1A schools, MHS has 1,100 students from which to find its athletes and CHS has a pool of 300 students.
After the presentation the CHS Indians Varsity Football Team provided photo opportunities for the press, parents and general public.
Column and Photo
By Myrtice Scabarozi © Jan. 9, 2019 at 8:08 a.m.
LEVY COUNTY – The Log Cabin Quilters met Thursday (Jan. 10) at the Levy County Quilt Museum -- 11050 N.W. 10th Ave. (near Levyville, kind of on the way to Judson on Levy County Road 134 from U.S. Alt. 27).
Everyone was back with us and had had a great holiday. Evelyn’s almost finished with the small quilt she had started in November. We have her next project ready for her.
Correctional Officer Greg and the adult male inmates from Lancaster Correctional Institution were out, and they started working on our bookcase. It was almost ready to put in the hallway when we noticed the half-inch thick baseboard. So, next week, they get to modify that to make it fit properly. When they get back, we have another idea that needs to be added. Thank goodness they get our ideas to work. We greatly appreciate the assistance given to the museum by LCI.
We were very sad to learn that the Salty Needle Quilt Shop in Cedar Key and the Suwannee Valley Quilt Shoppe in Trenton both are scheduled to be closing in the next few months. We have enjoyed knowing them and sharing visitors. We wish them well.
Don’t forget that Johnny, the Old Sewing Machine Man, is scheduled to be here on Wednesday, Jan 30. Call 352-493-2801 for more information.
This is the perfect throw for Valentine's Day.
Baby bibs are a great idea when a little something is needed.
CWGA sets benefit
golf tournament for Feb. 20
Published Jan. 11, 2019 at 2:48 p.m.
CHIEFLAND -- All golfers are asked to please reserve Feb. 20 (a Wednesday) as a day of golf. The Chiefland Women’s Golf Association is sponsoring a golf tournament dedicated to the Guardian Ad Litem program and Another Way Women’s Shelter.
There are going to be door prizes, mulligans and a chance to win a 50/50 raffle.
This is a three-person scramble (make/bring your own team). There is a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Chiefland Golf and Country Club, 9650 N.W. 115th St., Chiefland.
Check in is at 8:30 a.m. There is a $50 entry fee, which includes lunch.
Appleton to celebrate
Florida’s Arbor Day on Jan. 31
Published Jan. 9, 2019 at 11:08 a.m.
OCALA -- The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, will hold its annual Arbor Day celebration on Thursday, Jan. 31.
Arbor Day is a holiday dedicated annually to public tree-planting and appreciation of natural resources. From January and February in the south, all the way to May in the far north, Arbor Day encourages tree-planting not only by groups and organizations, but also individuals.
From 11 a.m. to noon in the Appleton auditorium, Greg Barton, Marion County forester, will give a presentation on the ecological value of trees. From noon to 1 p.m., docents will give a tour of flora-themed works and symbolism found throughout the permanent collection. The events are free for Appleton members; included with regular admission fee for nonmembers.
This event is organized by Steve MacKenzie, professor of Environmental Sciences at the College of Central Florida. For more information, contact Griselle Gonzalez at 352-291-4455, ext. 1836, or gonzaleg@cf.edu.
Owned and operated by the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.
‘America’s Everglades,’
Clyde Butcher Exhibition
set for Feb. 1-May 26
Self Portrait
Photos By Clyde Butcher, provided by The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida
Published Jan. 9, 2019 at 3:18 p.m.
OCALA -- The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, will be the premiere venue for “America’s Everglades: Through the Lens of Clyde Butcher.”
On view Feb. 1-May 26, “America’s Everglades” features work by renowned wilderness photographer and conservationist Clyde Butcher. The large-format black and white photographs span three decades, capturing the rugged and remote beauty of the Everglades. From the deepest cypress strands of the sawgrass prairies, coastal waters and languid estuaries, to still lifes of rare species, Butcher reveals its ecosystems in magnificent detail.
With his work exhibited worldwide, Butcher’s commitment to recording precious landscapes and peaceful sanctuaries across the globe provides common ground between all viewers. His work, likened to that of Ansel Adams, has earned him recognition as the foremost landscape photographic artist in America today.
Honored by the state of Florida with the highest award given to a private citizen, The Florida Hall of Fame Award, he is also privileged to have received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Nature Photography Association, the
Distinguished Artist Award from the Florida House Embassy (Washington, D.C.) and the Ansel Adams Conservation Award from the Sierra Club for showing excellence in photography and contributing to public awareness of the environment.
Exhibition Events
VIP Reception and Talk
Friday, Feb. 1, 5:30-7:30 p.m. -- Wear black, white and gray — or any combination thereof — to this special meet-and-greet reception and talk with Clyde Butcher. Guests must be an Appleton Director’s Circle or Fine Arts For Ocala Collector’s Circle member to attend. RSVP is required; talk begins at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium.
To become a Director’s Circle member or to RSVP, contact Colleen Harper, harperc@cf.edu, or 352-291-4455, ext. 1831.
Book Signing
Saturday, Feb. 2, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. -- We are honored to have the artist here for a book signing. Exhibition catalog and other books will be available for purchase in the Appleton Store. This event is free to the public and does not include admission to the exhibition.
This exhibition and events are generously sponsored by Fine Arts For Ocala.
Owned and operated by the College of Central Florida, the Appleton Museum of Art is located at 4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, east of downtown on SR 40 (exit 352 east off I-75 or exit 268 west off I-95). Parking is free. For more information, call 352-291-4455 or visit AppletonMuseum.org.
Hunter safety
Internet-completion course
offered in Dixie, Baker and
Alachua counties in February
Information and Photo Provided
By Karen Parker of the FWC
Published Jan. 4, 2019 at 2:18 p.m.
LAKE CITY -- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety Internet-completion courses in three counties during February.
Hunter safety courses are designed to help students become safe, responsible and knowledgeable hunters and learn about conservation.
Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.
All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
The date and times are:
Dixie County, Feb. 9 (9 a.m. until complete) in Cross City
Baker County, Feb. 23 (8 a.m. to noon) in Macclenny and (1 p.m. until complete) in Lake City
Alachua County, Feb. 24 (1 p.m. until complete) in Gainesville
The specific location for these classes will be given to those who register in advance. Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at https://myfwc.com/hunting/safety-education/ or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Lake City at 386-758-0525.
Christmas Lights
This photo taken in the rain with a cell phone on Dec. 20 shows a beautiful concentration of hay-inclusive Christmas lights art in Levy County.
Photo By Sharon Hardison © Dec. 26, 2018 at 8:18 a.m.
The same scene captured a bit before dark shows the elements that are present for an amazing display in Levy County on Dec. 21.
This Photo (and those below) By Jeff Hardison © Dec. 26, 2018 at 8:18 a.m.
And then there is the whirlwind Christmas Night tour of two locations - one in Gilchrist County and one in Levy County. This long view of a location in a rural area in Gilchrist County between Trenton and Fort White shows a sandy road (perhaps lime rock) that resembles snow when captured on film -- however, snow would be water at the temperature of this scene that Christmas night.
The star of this section of woods in Gilchrist County is a great stretch of Christmas cheer.
Among the many elements on this stretch of a display is, in this frame, a Christmas train.
Snoopy, Santa, the Grinch, Cindy Lou Who (holding the ornament), lit candy canes and a lit nutcracker in the background show one section of this display in Gilchrist County. (The Gilchrist County Courthouse and other business and residential displays in the Tri-County Area were great again this year too.)
Here, a very tall flagpole has become a giant Christmas tree. In the foreground a lit UF Florida Gator brought joy to both passengers in the PT Newser (2008 PT Cruiser – Touring Edition) as that vehicle passed silently through areas on Christmas night.
Going from end-to-end on this display on the night of Dec. 25, wraps up with a frame where there are lit deer, angels and 'Support Our Troops' as well as a lit American flag.
Returning to Jemlands, part of The Ink Pad displays are seen here in the two photos above.
And completely wrapping up the Christmas night fun of photos, Needles the Community Cat of Jemlands is seen on patrol, although interrupted by his friend and photographer who was out in the dark for some reason or another.
Cedar Key Arts Center
Workshops Listed for January;
Register now
Look at registration deadlines
This peace pole is a work that is a sample of one. Make your own. Scroll down and register.
Information and Art Provided by Marie Lewis
Published Dec. 20, 2018 at 11:28 p.m.
CEDAR KEY -- Everyone is invited to join in the beginning of the new season at the Cedar Key Art Center.
Register at the Keyhole or contact the instructor directly.
Jan. 7, Monday, 10:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. -- Sewing Help with Bunny Hand
Sometimes you have a project you need a little assistance to complete or get started. Join a friendly group for sewing fun. $15, $20 for non-members. Register with Bunny at mermaidsongquilts@gmail.com or at the Keyhole.
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Jan. 8, Tuesday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. -- Paint Pouring with Ann Kamzelski
Use acrylic paint diluted with Elmer’s glue or Floetrol to create this unique artistic piece of your own. You will be mixing the colors and pour it onto the canvas. Spreading the paint will be the “most” fun! Other options may be available to pour your paint on. Join us for this fun-filled creative session. Enjoy using paint pouring and take home three of your own creations. All supplies included. $50 members, $55 for non-members. Register at the Keyhole or with Ann at Kamzel@epix.net.
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Jan. 9, Wednesday, 6:30-8-30 p.m. -- Watercolor Magic Paint Party with Sandi Allen
You may bring your own watercolor brushes if you have them. We will let the water do the work by working with puddles of color. All supplies will be furnished. Light refreshments will be furnished by CKAC committee members. CKAC members $20, $25 for non-members. Sign up at the Keyhole or email Sandi at sallen41@frontier.com.
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Jan. 12, Saturday, 9 a.m.-12 noon and 1-4 p.m. -- Re-Creations with Miriam Novack
Finding a “work of art” with excellent underlying design, but less than perfect finishes, is a wonderful challenge. Miriam transforms these pieces into unique, imaginative works by painting them with acrylic paint, using her own signature styles. You too can create your own found treasurers. Bring an object, any object and watch it transform! It costs $50 for members, $55 for non-members. Contact Miriam at incolor@pobox.com or register at the Keyhole. Registration deadline, one week before class. Minimum of five participants.
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Jan 14, 21, & 28 (Mondays), 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. -- Three Session Quilting Workshop
Bunny Hand will lead us through a quilt making experience, sharing her experience and talent with the participants. This is a 3-session workshop (Beginning Quilting 4-Patch; Setting 4-Patch Blocks on Point; Applique 3 Ways). Supply list maybe picked up at the Salty Needle. Register with Bunny mermaidsongquilts@gmail.com or at the Keyhole. Cost: $50 members, $55 for non-members. Deadline to register is one week before class.
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Jan. 23, Wednesday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. – Basket-Making with Marcella Bamford
Weave your very own oak basket under expert leadership with Marcella. All basket materials will be supplied but a list of additional tools will be provided to participants (all common things found around the house). Cost $15 members, $20 for non-members, plus $18 supply fee. Basket supply list to bring to class: 5-gallon bucket, towel, scissors, pruning shears, tape measure and ice pick. Maximum 8 weavers. Register at the Keyhole or contact Marcella at 352-221-5750.
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Jan. 29 & 30 Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. -- Landscape Art - Peace Pole with Nancy Hanson
Create a colorful Peace Pole for your yard, garden or quiet spot. You will use color, patterns, images and the word Peace in the design. Create, color and promote peace and harmony in our communities. You will leave with the pole ready to install. $40 members, $45.00 for non-members, plus $40 for supplies. Includes 4-foot pre-primed 4 x 4, landscape ground spike for installation, and paint supplies. Maximum 10, Minimum 4 Peace Pole Makers. Deadline for registration is one week before the class begins.
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Jan. 31, Thursday 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. -- Cork Fun Paint Party with Darlene White
Enjoy an evening with Darlene as she shows us how to cover with corks an item of our choice (trivet, picture frame or a simple wall hanging). Feel free to bring any item at home that you wish to embellish. If you have your own glue gun, please bring it. Light refreshments will be provided by the CKAC committee. Register at the Keyhole or with Darlene at gerdarck@att.net.
Levy County 4-H hosts
Holiday Bake-off and Party
Pictured (from left) are Lilly LeMieux of Wekiva Run 4-H Club and Ms. Genevieve Mendoza, Levy County 4-H Agent. Lilly was the overall winner of this year’s Holiday Bake-off.[/caption]
Information and Photo Provided By Levy County 4-H Agent Genevieve A. Mendoza
Published Dec. 14, 2018 at 3:38 p.m.
BRONSON – The annual 4-H Holiday Bake-off and Party was held on Dec. 10 at Levy County’s UF/IFAS Extension office in Bronson.
Seen here is Cason Lambert of Bit of Both 4-H Club. He was one of two Cloverbuds who entered an ornament in the Holiday Ornament Contest. His brother Hunter Lambert was the overall winner of the contest.
This event is a contest where any 4-H member can enter one of the 10 categories, which include appetizers, breads, brownies/bar cookies, cakes, candies, cookies, cupcakes, decorated cakes, gingerbread/specialty creations and lite recipes.
For this event, youth can enter unlimited items as long as they are in different categories. The entries are due in the morning and guest judges come in and taste all of the entries.
Each entry earns either a blue, red or white ribbon with one entry per category selected to contend for the overall winner. Judges select the category winners and the best of show based on the appearance, taste and display of the entries.
This year's event was another great year with several new 4-H members participating. Along with golden spoon awards going to the top category winners, a giant golden spoon was presented to the overall winner.
The overall winner this year was Lilly LeMieux with the Wekiva Run 4-H Club in Gulf Hammock. Her strawberry-filled cupcakes beat out four other contenders for the top prize of best of show.
The category winners for this year were: Brownies/Bar Cookies – Hunter Lambert; Candies – Kadence Kennedy; Cookies – Bailey Bird; Cupcakes – Lilly LeMieux; Decorated Cakes – Ashley Sterken; and Cloverbuds – Hallee Bird, Cason Lambert, and Jacob Mulligan.
The bake-off awards were presented during the annual holiday party. Among the festive activities at the party were a chili cook-off and a holiday ornament contest.
The winner of the chili cook-off was voted on by the kids and went to Bit of Both 4-H Club. Eight ornaments were entered into the holiday ornament contest. The winner was Hunter Lambert with an honorable mention going to Ashley Sterken. The kids and adults enjoyed an evening of visiting with 4-H friends and families and tasting the holiday bake-off goodies.
The 4-H office would like to thank our bake-off judges for coming out to support our youth. If you would like more information about the Levy County 4-H Youth Development program, please contact the Levy County Extension office at 352-486-5131.
CF International
Film Series continues
Published Dec. 13, 2018 at 9:48 p.m.
OCALA -- The College of Central Florida’s International Film Series continues in January with “Menashe” on Tuesday, Jan. 15, and “Faces Places” on Tuesday, Jan. 29.
Shows start at 2 p.m. at the Appleton Museum and at 7 p.m. at the Ocala Campus in the Humanities and Social Sciences Building 8, Room 110.
“Menashe” is about a Hasidic Jewish who man fights to retain custody of his son after his wife’s death. This film is in Yiddish with English subtitles. It is rated PG and has a total run time of 90 minutes. “Faces Places” is a documentary about French New Wave director Agnes Vard and muralist and acclaimed photographer JR, who travel across France creating and displaying giant portraits of people they encounter along the way. This film is in French with English subtitles. It is rated PG and has a total run time of 90 minutes.
Viewings are free at CF. Series membership, which includes fall and spring screenings at the Appleton Museum of Art, is $15 for individuals, $25 for dual membership and includes a bonus film each year. For information about membership, call 352-873-5808.
For a full series list and more information on the International Film Series, contact Joe Zimmerman at 352-854-2322, ext. 1233, or visit www.CF.edu/filmseries.
CWGA Champion
The Chiefland Women’s Golf Association recently had its annual Match Play Championship Tournament (Handicap Tournament). It was a double-elimination play that lasted most of November. Sue Ice (above) is the 2018-2019 CWGA Match Play Champion. Deanna Kreuter is runner-up.
Published Dec. 13, 2018 at 9:08 a.m.
Information and Photo Provided By Carol Healy
Tickets On Sale For Island Youth Art
Ollie and a self-portrait she created during the 2018 Summer Art Program.
Tickets are now on sale for the Children’s Art Benefit Dinner, Raffle and Silent Auction, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019 at 5:15 p.m. at the Cedar Key Community Center. A gourmet dinner will be prepared by Chef Peter Stefani of the Island Room and music will be provided by Southern Breeze. The money raised at this event will be used to fund art experiences for Children and Teens in Cedar Key, including a two-week summer art camp, Art in the Park at festivals, Sewing Group, etc. Only 100 tickets will be sold and they are $30 each. Tickets will be on sale at the Cedar Key Post Office on Saturday mornings and at the Cedar Keyhole between 10-5 daily.
Get your tickets today to attend a fun event for a really good cause!
Published Dec. 11, 2018 at 4:38 a.m.
Information and Photo From Jay Bushnell
Master Gardener class
returns to Bronson
Debra Weiss (left) and Diane Wilson prune muscadine vine as part of the Master Gardner exercises to learn about this aspect of gardening.
Photos Provided
Published Dec. 7, 2018 at 10:08 a.m.
BRONSON – The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS) Extension Master Gardener class returns to Bronson, in January of 2019.
Here, there is a hands-on deciduous fruit pruning (peach pruning) workshop shown as part of the Master Gardner program.
UF-IFAS Extension agents, regional specialists and cooperating agencies such as Florida Forest Service will provide the training.
However, Anthony Drew, the current Extension agent and row crop specialist who has taught this course for more than a decade, is retiring.
UF/IFAS Extension is a federal, state, and county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences and to making that knowledge accessible to sustain and enhance the quality of human life.
Master Gardener (MG) instruction prepares civic-minded individuals to assist in community horticulture outreach, research and education in Dixie, Gilchrist and Levy counties as volunteers.
MG training covers a range of Florida-friendly practices. The 2019 program’s topics include titles such as “efficient water use,” “landscaping for food,” “pollinators and wildlife,” “fertilizer,” “container and raised-bed gardening,” “best management practices for disease, weed and insect pests.”
“Of course, to gain knowledge on how to garden more successfully was the main reason I enrolled in the MG class but the fringe benefits have been great,” Diane Wilson, an MG Class of 2017 said. “Meeting wonderful, caring people from my community has been a blessing. Additionally, my new passion of creating herbarium specimens is a result of the program.”
MG training class meets once a week, Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 23 through April 3, from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Unless otherwise noted, instruction will take place at the UF-IFAS Extension AG Center, 625 N. Hathaway Ave. (U.S. Alt. 27), in Bronson.
The class size is limited to 23 students maximum. Application with a $65 (non-refundable) materials fee is due Jan. 4, 2019.
Payment can be made by cash, check or money order payable to the University of Florida.
Applications are available at Levy and Dixie counties’ libraries, and Extension offices. They are also available through return email that is sent to savemygarden@ufl.edu.
A county and/or UF-furnished background check and drug screen are required for MG students.
For more information, contact Barbara L. Edmonds at the Levy County Extension Office, 352-486-5131.
All UF/IFAS Extension programs and services are open to every person without regard to race, color, age, gender, religion, national origin, handicap or any other thing that might differentiate one human being from another human being.
WGP Friends saddened
by Yankeetown Town Council;
Town voters urged to protect WGP
Published Nov. 28, 2018 at 4:28 p.m.
YANKEETOWN -- The Friends of the Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve (The Friends) sent a message via email on Wednesday (Nov. 28) alerting interested individuals in a stark reality.
The potential exists for this public treasure to fall into the hands of a private developer.
The Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve (WGP) is a 413-acre parcel of land owned and managed by the Town of Yankeetown.
The property was purchased with funds from the Florida Forever Community Trust. Most of the improvements to the WGP have been made with State Department of Environmental Protection Grants, Felburn Foundation Grants, other small grants, and private donations. General maintenance, utilities, insurance, and other expenses are paid by the Town of Yankeetown with funding from property taxes, and donations from the Friends of the WGP, The Friends noted in the email.
"The Board (of Directors) of the Friends of the Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve wishes to inform our members, volunteers, and the general public of recent developments effecting the Preserve," The email notes. "During the Yankeetown Town (Council) budget hearings in the summer of 2018, there was a discussion about the expense to the Town of maintaining the WGP.
"The Town Council subsequently investigated the possibility of turning the WGP back to the State," the Friends continued," thereby removing the financial responsibility from the Town. The Town of Yankeetown has decided to put an advisory referendum on the 2019 February ballot asking whether the Town should stop funding the WGP. If the Advisory Referendum receives a majority in favor of defunding the WGP, then the Yankeetown Town Council will pursue turning the property over to the State."
If the voters of Yankeetown want to have the town no longer help the WGP, then the state "... would try to find another entity to take over the management of the property – State, County, or a viable non-profit organization. If no entity can be found, it is possible that the Preserve could be sold to a private organization," the Friends noted.
The Friends of the WGP is a non-profit organization that works with Yankeetown to promote and develop the WGP.
"The Friends of the WGP are saddened that the (Yankeetown Town) Council is considering divesting the Town of this community treasure," The Friends' Board of Directors noted. "We believe the property is an asset to the Town, providing unique recreational experiences to our community and visitors. Unfortunately, the Friends do not have the manpower or the financial funding to assume responsibility of the Preserve. However, our mission still stands and we will continue to support the WGP with promotions, programs, and educational events until such time the Preserve’s fate is determined.
"Listen up Yankeetown voters," the Friends noted. "The second reading of the Advisory Referendum will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 3 at Yankeetown Town Hall. This is an opportunity for you to be heard before this referendum is official. Also, be prepared in February to vote your choice on the future of the WGP."
The Friends of the WGP note more for people who not residents and able to vote in a Yankeetown election.
"To our WGP visitors who enjoy this preserve as a public entity, please send your comments and concerns to:
Yankeetown Town Hall
6241 Harmony Lane
Yankeetown, FL
email: yankeetownTH@gmail.com
Phone: 352-447-2511.
Look out, slow down for
Florida’s migrating manatees
FWC photo by Tim Donovan.
By Diane Hirth and Carli Segelson of the FWC
Published Nov. 14, 2018 at 9:08 a.m.
TALLAHASSEE -- Look out and slow down for manatees in November to help them as they begin migrating to warmer waters.
November is Manatee Awareness Month. Florida has more than 6,600 manatees swimming in rivers, bays and coastal waters. These large aquatic mammals can weigh over 1,000 pounds.
As the weather cools, manatees are on the move, searching for warmer waters to survive the winter. Remember: Disturbing manatees at warm-water sites may cause them to leave those areas at a time when it is critical for them to remain there.
“Boaters who look out for migrating manatees and follow posted manatee protection zones contribute to the conservation of this threatened species. They are reducing the chance of manatee injuries and disturbance, while enjoying their time on the water,” said Carol Knox, who leads the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Imperiled Species Management Section.
Seasonal manatee protection zones also go into effect in the fall, depending on the county. The zones are marked by waterway signs, and maps of local manatee protection zones are available online at MyFWC.com/Manatee by clicking on “Data and Maps.”
How can you help manatees?
● Wear polarized sunglasses to spot them moving, grazing and resting in the water. Keep a lookout for the circular “footprints” or ripples they leave on the surface of the water.
● Follow posted manatee zones.
● Observe manatees from a distance to limit disturbance. Disturbing manatees at their warm-water sites may cause them to leave these areas during the winter.
● Report injured, entangled, orphaned or dead manatees to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline: 888-404-FWCC (3922), #FWC or *FWC on your cellphone or text Tip@MyFWC.com.
● Access and share A boater’s guide to living with Florida manatees and Guidelines for successful manatee watching in Florida that focuses on paddlers.
● Purchase the manatee decal and license plate, and tell everyone how the decal and license plate support the FWC’s manatee conservation efforts.
● Contribute to the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida’s Marine Mammal Fund by visiting https://wildlifeflorida.org/ and clicking on “Support Us,” “Funding Priorities” and “Marine Mammal Fund.”
Florida invests over $2 million annually in manatee conservation, with FWC biologists, managers and law enforcement working with partners to research, rescue and manage Florida manatees.
Want to see a manatee? Go to http://myfwc.com/Manatee and click on “Where Can I See Manatees?”
Appleton posts After Hours
concert series schedule
Alpine Express gives an outdoor performance for Oktoberfest.
Southern Express Big Band plays the After Hours stage.
Photos and Story Provided
By CF Marketing
Published Sept. 9, 10:28 p.m.
OCALA — The Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida, announces its 2018-2019 After Hours concert series schedule.
After Hours features local and regional musical talent and invites community members of all ages to enjoy lively performances, tasty bites from local restaurants and special displays of artwork from the Ocala Art Group.
The series kicks off in October with an Oktoberfest band, Alpine Express, who entertains audiences with singing, yodeling, audience-participation and more. The high-energy show consists of traditional Oktoberfest music, along with some unique folk instruments that can include alphorns, cowbells, the Holzanes G'Lächter (member of the xylophone family) and a singing saw.
In December, Marion Civic Chorale returns to present the sounds of the holidays. A new band is welcomed to the stage in February, New Generation Branches Steel Orchestra, and will give a two-piece performance.
Last but not least, another favorite is welcomed back — Southern Express Big Band. This 17-piece band from Ocala has been performing for more than 15 years and is comprised of individuals with a variety of professional and musical backgrounds.
2018-2019 Concert Schedule
Thursdays, 5-8 p.m.
● Feb. 7 - New Generation Branches Steel Orchestra
● April 4 - Southern Express Big Band
