Firefighters Battle Fire at Ocala Manufacturing Business
Ocala Fire Rescue crews responded Wednesday evening to a structure fire at Arnold Truss Manufacturing.
Officials say firefighters arrived at approximately 5:30 p.m. and found a shed on the property engulfed in flames.
Crews encountered a bolted gate and had to cut through a chain to gain access to the property. Firefighters were able to begin putting water on the fire within minutes.
The fire was brought under control before 6 p.m.
No injuries were reported.
Give4Marion Raises More Than $2.3 Million
The seventh annual Give4Marion campaign ended Wednesday night with another multimillion-dollar fundraising total for Marion County nonprofit organizations.
The Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County reported $2,343,153 raised by 4,618 donors, who made 7,463 individual gifts during the 33-hour campaign.
The event officially ended at 7 p.m. Wednesday with a celebration at the Reilly Arts Center.
Give4Marion has raised more than $8.5 million during its previous six years, meaning this year's campaign pushes the cumulative amount raised well beyond $10 million.
Donations can still be made even though the official 2026 campaign has ended.
Impact Fees Halt Planned Ocala Youth Sports Facility
A planned indoor baseball and softball training facility in Ocala will not open after its owners were faced with more than $100,000 in Marion County transportation impact fees.
Brick City Academy had planned to convert approximately 12,500 square feet of a former Marion County Public Schools warehouse on Southeast Third Avenue into indoor batting cages, a pitching area and youth training facility.
According to the Ocala Gazette, county rules classify indoor batting cages in the racquet-club and health-spa land-use category.
After accounting for the building's previous warehouse use, the owners faced an impact fee of approximately $129,000 under that classification.
The owners announced September 10 that they could not afford the additional expense and would not move forward with opening the facility.
Ocala Renews Contracts for Four Top Officials
Four of Ocala's highest-ranking appointed officials have received new two-year contracts.
During Tuesday's meeting, the Ocala City Council approved new contracts for City Clerk Angel Jacobs, Police Chief Michael Balken, City Manager Peter Lee and City Attorney William Sexton.
Jacobs, Balken and Sexton received unanimous 5-to-0 support.
City Manager Pete Lee's contract was approved with Councilman Barry Hilty casting the lone dissenting vote.
Campaign Launched to Save Historic Bryant House
The Historic Ocala Preservation Society has launched a major fundraising campaign to restore the Bryant House on East Fort King Street.
Built around 1892, the house serves as the organization's headquarters and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The “Bring Back the Bryant” campaign has a goal of raising $300,000.
Planned work includes stabilizing the second floor, foundation repairs, restoration of the historic porch and windows, and exterior weather protection.
The organization says storms and moisture have caused significant damage to portions of the historic structure in recent years.
Marion County Meetings Today
Two Marion County advisory boards meet today.
The Pine Run Estate Public Advisory Board meets at 10 a.m., while the Rainbow Lakes Estates Public Advisory Board meets at 6:30 tonight.
Several Marion County Public Library programs are also scheduled today, including an Explore Homeownership program at the Headquarters-Ocala library beginning at 5 p.m.
