Ocala

Big Lee’s popularity and the traffic it has brought to Ocala are just a glimpse of the area’s changing business demographics. From 2023 to 2024, Ocala’s population increased by 4%, making it the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan area, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Four elected offices will be on the ballot for Ocala’s special municipal elections on Tuesday, but only the offices of mayor and City Council District 3 are contested races. Incumbent Mayor Ben Marciano faces challenger Zackary Arbor Feliciano, and District 3 incumbent Jay A. Musleh faces challengers Mark W. Clark and TamBoura Jenkins.

21 dogs are up for adoption after a boarding dispute between DogWalker Ranch and the dogs’ previous owner, accused of never picking his dogs up from the center in Ocala, Florida.

Florida wildlife officials this week will hear a proposal to create an annual “limited-entry” black bear hunt, with a December hunting period the first in more than a decade.

Ocala residents and elected officials spoke in favor of a state bill Thursday that would create an online database of people convicted on animal abuse charges in Florida. The bill is named after a dog that a St. Petersburg man adopted then decapitated a few days later, and was inspired by a similar ordinance passed by Marion County commissioners.

The Marion County Board of Commissioners met with the Ocala City Council in a public workshop on Thursday to discuss implementing emergency medical services impact fees on new developments within the city.

Demonstrators attended a protest along East Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala on Saturday to express their opposition to President Donald Trump and his administration.

“I got what I wanted, which was to have her disbarred. She hurt other people way worse than she hurt me,” a former client said.

In hopes of reducing vehicle conflict points while encouraging safer driving speeds, the Florida Department of Transportation proposed enhancements to the 3.3-mile strip of State Road 200 by replacing portions of the multi-directional center lane – considered “suicide lanes” – with a raised concrete median.

WUFT Morning Edition and WUFT Amplified host, Glenn Richards, gets a preview of the 2nd Annual Sunshine Music & Arts Festival from the organizer and one of the performers, PRIZILLA.