Beach Buns & Beauty Queens: Jude Gonzalez Reception at Arts at The Canopy

Crashes killed 81 people on Marion County public roads in 2025, down from 113 in 2024 and the lowest total in the five years covered by the Ocala Marion TPO's 2026 Commitment to Zero Safety Report. Motorcyclist deaths rose to 21, and 20 bicyclists were killed or seriously injured, the highest yearly total in the report's summary table.

The Marion Athletic Conference cross country championships are Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Belleview High School. Last year's boys champion Luke Lombardo, Zach Vickerman and Timothy Brannon have moved on to college, leaving six boys within 37 seconds of each other. On the girls' side, Lyla Hallick now runs for Vanguard.

Vanguard sophomores Lyla Hallick (7th of 398, 17:55) and Christopher Taylor (15:56) led Marion County at the New World Fall Spectacular on Oct. 17, 2026. Belleview's Asher Inman placed third in the boys' B race in 16:00, and North Marion's Brooklyn Smith ran 16:13.

In December, Marion County commissioners said no to 71 homes on a horse farm off SW 80th Street. On Oct. 6 they voted 4-0 to certify the farm as an agricultural enclave, because a new state law gave them little choice. The 71-home plan still goes through county staff review. Commissioners said the state keeps taking decisions away from the people closest to them.

Ocala City Council voted 5-0 on Oct. 20, 2026, to adopt Ordinance 2027-1, repealing the city's local business tax, known as the business tax receipt (BTR). The ordinance was introduced Oct. 6. Staff had also asked to refund businesses that already paid for 2026-27.

The 2026 OBS October Yearling Sale in Ocala ended Oct. 7 with 267 yearlings sold for $6,775,500. The average rose to $25,376 and the median to $17,000. A Girvin filly bred by Ocala's Glen Hill Farm topped the sale at $190,000.