Harry Potter event at Library
An invitation to all Harry Potter fans! We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to attend a special Sorting Ceremony. We look forward to receiving you as part of the next class of the Hogwarts student body!
The Dunnellon Public Library is hosting a “Great Hall Gathering” for all ages Saturday, May 7, at 2 p.m. Call 352-438-2520 to register.
The next Novels at Night Book Club event at the library is Thursday, May 19, at 5 p.m. The book will be “The Lost City of the Monkey God” by Douglas Preston.
The Library is located at 20351 Robinson Road, Dunnellon.
Youth football, cheer sign-ups
Sign-ups for youth football and cheer will be held Saturday, May 14, at Dunnellon Little League, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Football is for ages 5 to 14 and is $175. Cheer is open in three divisions: Cheer Returner, for ages 5 and up, is $220; Cheer New for ages 5 and up is $475; and Cheer Bantam, for ages 14 to 17, is $370.
The Marion County Youth Football/Cheer League (MCYFL) season starts Aug. 1. Games are played at Jervey Gantt Park in Ocala.
Dunnellon Little League is located at 2214 Bridges Rd.
Final Ocala Art Walk of season is May 6
The First Friday Art Walk will take place in Downtown Ocala Friday, May 6, 6 to 9 p.m. This will be the final art walk of the season until the event resumes in September. The following activities will be included in May’s event:
Hands-on art activities and demonstrations for all ages provided by local non-profit arts and cultural organizations.
Local artists selling their works throughout Downtown.
Participating businesses with extended hours.
Buskers stationed throughout the downtown area, including My Uncle’s Friend and The Allens, playing ambient music.
Live musical entertainment on the Downtown Square, featuring violinist Chris Barbosa, with an intermission performance by Marion County Center for the Arts Dance.
In the event of inclement weather, the First Friday Art Walk will be canceled.
For more information, please contact the City of Ocala Cultural Arts Division at 352-629-8447 [email protected]; or visit www.ocalafl.org/artwalk.
Library Friends book sale
The Friends of Dunnellon Library will be holding its Summer Book Sale on Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the library located at 20351 Robinson Road, Dunnellon. One bag of books is $5. Three bags of books is $10. Sale includes all books – fiction, non-fiction, your choice. Proceeds benefit the Dunnellon Public Library.
Inverness museum host kids events
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum in Inverness presents free Kids’ Corner and Crafternoons events for children on the first and third Saturdays of each month from 1 to 3 p.m. On Saturday, May 7, local artists’ group artOasis will lead children ages 5+ in a craft project involving haiku poems and paper lilies. Younger children are welcome, but they may require additional help from their accompanying adult(s).
On Saturday, May 21, join us for “Games on Your Feet.” Staff will facilitate kids playing interactive games inside the historic courtroom. Games will be accessible to all and will include Red Light/Green Light, Freeze Dance, and (of course) Night at the Museum. Adult supervision and pre-registration are required for all Kids’ Corner and Crafternoons events. To register, call (352) 341-6428.
Families who visit may want to plan for extra time to explore temporary and permanent museum exhibits, such as the artOasis exhibit entitled, “Of Poems and Pieces: Haiku and Art to Open Your Heart.” The museum gift shop hosts a wide array of Elvis souvenirs and interesting books ranging from children’s genres, historical fiction, and local history. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a farmer’s market on the first and third Saturdays in Downtown Inverness at The Depot.
For more information, please call 352-341-6428 or e-mail [email protected].
Dementia Conference welcomes guest speaker
Certified Dementia Practitioner, author and national speaker Diana Waugh will open Citrus County’s eighth annual Coping with Dementia Care Partner Conference on May 12.
For more than 30 years, Waugh has worked to eliminate physical, psychological and chemical restraint use for individuals living with dementia. As a national speaker, a consultant, a researcher and a writer she strives to share simple, practical techniques that can make both family members and professionals more successful care partners.
The conference, which is free and open to the public, will take place at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 6 Roosevelt Blvd., Beverly Hills. It will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and include lunch.
While the conference is free, seating will be limited and reservations will be required. To reserve seats, call 352-422-3663 or email [email protected].
Citrus Genealogical Society meeting
The Citrus County Genealogical Society will meet May 10 at 10 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, 3474 W Southern St., Lecanto, and by Zoom. Ann Staley will present “Shore to Shore: 20th Century Immigration Research.” She discusses emigration records, border crossings and repatriation. Guests are welcome. To get a link, contact Mary Ann Machonkin at [email protected]
Marion Genealogical Society meets May 19
The Marion County Genealogy Society General will hold a meeting at the Marion County Public Library (2720 East Silver Springs Blvd, Ocala) 2 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 19.
Guest speaker Deborah A. Carder Mayes will speak on the topic, Organizing Your Family History. This will be a live video presentation.
Please visit our website at www.mcgsocala.org to register for this event. Pre-registration allows you to print the handouts to bring with you for note taking.
If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] or 352-897-0840.
Withlacoochee Technical College to host info session
Withlacoochee Technical College (WTC) will hold an evening Information Session on Tuesday, May 10, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the College, located at 1201 W. Main Street, Inverness. Members of the public are invited to attend the hour-long information session to learn more about a program of their choosing.
Those in attendance on May 10 will receive a waiver for the standard $30 registration fee for the January session as long as their registration is completed by June 9. This waiver is dependent upon seat availability in a program.
No pre-registration is required. Enter WTC at the East Entrance on Montgomery Avenue by the Suncoast ATM.
For more information, contact WTC at (352) 726-2430 or online at www.wtcollege.org.
Please join us on May 10!
Water District hosting career fairs
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is hosting career fairs to recruit people seeking a rewarding career protecting the region’s water resources. The career fairs are open to the public and attendees are encouraged to bring current resumes.
The District is a government agency that employs a diverse workforce from across a wide variety of disciplines, including administrative, business and finance, trades work, mechanical, heavy equipment operation, well drilling, natural sciences and engineering, and many more.
The Brooksville career fair will take place Saturday, May 14, from 9 a.m. to noon at District Headquarters, located at 2379 Broad Street in Brooksville.
The Tampa career fair will take place Saturday, May 21, from 9 a.m. to noon at the District’s Tampa Service Office located at 7601 US Hwy. 301 in Tampa.
The District maintains a supportive and inclusive work culture that fosters success through teamwork and collaboration. The District offers generous time off, health, dental and vision plans, continuing education opportunities and a 6.38 percent contribution to the Florida Retirement System. Remote work and flexible work schedules are available for many positions. District offices are located in Brooksville, Tampa, Sarasota and Bartow.
Visit WaterMatters.org/Careers to view and apply for current openings.
Facade Rehabilitation funds still available
The City of Dunnellon still has money from the Façade Rehabilitation Reimbursement Fund available for buildings located in the Historical District of Dunnellon.
This is free money – up to $5,000 for restoration, landscaping, or even structure demolition.
The deadline for applying is July 29.
Applications are available at City Hall, or contact me, Dusty Walters, for more information at [email protected].
Road construction set for spring, summer
The City of Dunnellon will undergo roadway restoration and repaving near the City’s Historic District in three locations as described below:
South Ohio Street, River Drive to Pennsylvania Avenue.
North Ohio Street, Pennsylvania Avenue to McKinney Avenue.
South Cedar Street, Pennsylvania Avenue to River Drive.
The construction is anticipated to take place through July 1. Traffic will be temporarily re-routed during certain phases of construction, but local traffic for homeowners and businesses will remain open.
The construction along South Ohio Street will impact trailers exiting the City Boat Ramp via Ohio Street. Those users should be prepared to utilize Williams Street when exiting.
The City understands this will be an inconvenience and encourages everyone to use extreme caution when traveling in these areas. Any questions may be directed to City Hall at 352-465-8500 or by email [email protected] and include “Roadway Improvement Construction Project” as the subject.
Master Gardeners Spring Plant Sale
Marion County Master Gardeners are holding their Spring Plant Sale Saturday, May 7, 8 a.m. to noon.
The event is located at the UF/IFAS Extension Marion County Nursery at 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd.
Free admission; bring your wagon. No pets please!
Payment by cash or check.
Mobile plant clinic on site; soil test kits available; melaleuca mulch vouchers.
Master gardeners will be available for consultations.
Native plants; herbs & perennials; pollinator plants; hummingbird and butterfly plants; shrubs; ornamental trees; shade trees and fruit trees.
For more information, call 352-671-8400.
Take off pounds sensibly
The TOPS chapter of Dunnellon meets on Thursday afternoons at the Women’s Club of Dunnellon at 11756 Cedar St.
We have a “weigh-in” time between 3 and 3:30 p.m. Our meeting begins at 3:30, and we close our meetings promptly at 4:30.
Our goal is to help find sensible ways for each individual to achieve weight loss. On occasion we host professional speakers, we share weight loss success stories and we all listen to each other’s opinions and suggestions on healthy eating!
You are welcome to visit our meeting, free, for two weeks and then decide if you would want to become a member.
For more information, call our chapter leader Chris Weider at 352-465-7861 or 954-242-3048, or call MaryJo Smith at 585-329-2026
Museum of History & Archaeology coming attractions
The Marion County Museum of History & Archaeology hosts programs on the third Sunday of odd months at 2 p.m. in the Green Clover Hall at 319 SE 26th Ter., Ocala. A reception follows the programs in the museum itself. Admission is free to members and $5 to nonmembers. Individual and family memberships are available for sale at events.
May 15: MarthaLynne Allen – Ross Allen (her grandfather) and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’’ connections.
July 17: Dr. Joe Knetsch, Cousin Bob. Historian, author, professor, his latest book is about a Jewish-American World War II Hero, Robert Warren, ultimately attached to Patton’s Third Army coming across France after the Normandy breakout. It is based upon Warren’s personal letters, some reports from the Fort Benning collections, etc. and the usual secondary accounts now available.
Sept. 18: 11th anniversary of the museum
Nov. 20: Annabelle Leitner, local historian – The 19th Century Marion County Voting Precincts/Public Information.
TBD: Cynthia Graham-Wilson – Marion County author/historian on topic of early Marion County Black Residents and Businesses
We hope to see you there!
German American Club Dinner Dance
The German American Club of West Central Florida Inc. is holding its 51st Anniversary Dinner Dance at Citrus Hills Golf & Country Club, 505 East Hartford St., Hernando, on Sunday, May 22, from 1 to 5 p.m.
Tickets are $38 (donation) per person. Attire is semi-formal or traditional German.
Listen and dance to the KeyTunes.
Menu choices include seafood and roast pork. There will be an open cash bar.
For tickets and info, call Sigi Strak at 352-854-9616 or email [email protected].
Max Weinberg Jukebox in Ocala
Former drum chair behind Bruce Springsteen & The E Street band and anchor of the house band for Late Night with Conan O’Brien for 17 years, Max Weinberg, will take the Reilly Arts Center stage on May 26 at 7:30 p.m. for “Max Weinberg’s Jukebox.”
Performing songs from the glory days of rock and roll – guests will choose from a video menu of over 200 songs – everything from the Beatles to the Stones to Bruce and The E Street Band’s biggest hits for the band to play live on stage.
Tickets are available from $20 to $50. A VIP Private Meet and Greet is sold separately for $115 and will include: post-show VIP meet and greet includes autographs for up to two items of memorabilia and a photo op with Max.
Visit www.reillyartscenter.com for tickets.
Church can help with basic needs
On the fourth Saturday of each month, food and basic home needs will be available at North Oak Church in Citrus Springs at 10 a.m., until supplies run out.
Enter the church property from N. Citrus Springs Blvd. and a supply of paper products, detergents, personal items and more will be brought to your car. Drive around, following the driveway, and food items will also be brought to the vehicle. Then, exit on to N. Elkcam Blvd.
Items vary based on availability. Anyone who has a need is welcome and there is no charge.
North Oak Church is located at the intersection of N. Citrus Springs Blvd. and N. Elkcam Blvd. in Citrus Springs. More information on the website: northoakbc.org.
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