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New store, new logos and more: Local biz news in Ocala/Marion County
Ocala Star-Banner
• The
Ocala Civic Theatre and
Marion Cultural Alliance will host an arts symposium, From Inspiration to Creation: Hope and the Creative Process, from 5:30-7 p.m. March 8 at the theater, 4337 E. Silver Springs. Blvd., Ocala. The David and Lisa Midgett Foundation also is a sponsor. Moderated by R.J. Jenkins, president of the Marion Literacy Council, a panel of leaders from the local arts community will share their insights into the creative process and its place in Ocala’s flourishing arts scene, organizers said in a news release. The event is free and the public is invited, though reservations are necessary. Contact the OCT box office at 236-2274 or www.ocalacivictheatre.com.
Santos in the 1920s was a close community of predominantly African American families, many related, who farmed and had jobs in the area.
The town, which straddles U.S. 441 about seven miles south of Ocala, was dotted with stores and a post office. The community hosted baseball games that attracted both Black and white fans, according to historical accounts.
Irene Damon Donar, 89, was born in Santos in 1931, about four years before President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced the start of Cross Florida Barge Canal project.
Ill-fated canal project would cut through community
In The Way It Was, a book focused on major events in Marion County in the 20th century, former Star-Banner editor and columnist David Cook recounts how Roosevelt authorized the start of work on the 195-mile canal, which would start at Inglis and cut a path through south and northeast Marion County on its way to the Jacksonville area.
Lend a hand: Volunteer opportunities in Ocala/Marion County for Feb. 14, 2021
Ocala Star-Banner
Editor s note: This is the Star-Banner’s running list of volunteer opportunities in Marion County. To submit a call for volunteers, or to revise this list in any way, email calendar@starbanner.com and write “Lend a Hand” in the message line.
Brick City Center for the Arts: The Marion Cultural Alliance seeks volunteers to help in the gallery as hosts/hostesses, provide guests with information about the exhibiting artist(s), assist in the gift shop, or help the administrative/clerical staff. Visit www.mcaocala.org/wolunteer or contact admin@mcaocala.com, 352-369-1500, or visit the center in person. Students may be able to credit volunteer hours toward community service.
Internet cafe crackdown in Marion: 2 arrests and lots of closed doors
The Star-Banner visited multiple cafes during the day and found most of them shuttered. That included the Blackjack Arcade on U.S. 301 in Summerfield, which was operating up until Monday evening. But then it got busted about 6 p.m., and two employees were arrested and accused of violating the ordinance.
The Marion County Sheriff s Office, which pushed for the ordinance, provided the Star-Banner with a list of names and addresses for cafes that until very recently had been in business. More than half are located in south and southeast Marion.