One Battle After Another
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JOSHUA JACOBS One Battle After Another A Q&A with Justin Alsedek, creator and ringmaster of Battle of the Brushes, now one of Ocala’s fastest-growing and most inventive annual events. This is year five of Battle of the Brushes. When you look back at year one, what feels most different now? Year one feels […]
Cultivating Spring
WRITTEN BY: JESSI MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JOSHUA JACOBS. GARDEN DESIGN BY: ROBIN FANNON RESOURCE: UF/IFAS EXTENSION | UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA Cultivating Spring There is a sort of hush before spring takes hold — a gentle warming of soil, a lengthening of light, a promise carried on the breeze that the shivering is over. In Marion County, […]
One Dish: March 2026 — La Cuisine
WRITTEN BY:KENDRA BRAZZEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JOSHUA JACOBS Elevated Comfort Diving Into the French Dip at La Cuisine A golden baguette, rich au jus, and a quiet patio brunch demonstrate the balance of tradition and transition at a downtown institution. Spring in Ocala doesn’t always arrive in bright blue skies. Sometimes it comes quietly, with a […]
Word: March 2026 Abigail Prince
WORD | JANUARY 2026 The written word is one thing. Hearing it is another. Each month we invite you to both. An Earth Song WRITTEN BY: LANGSTON HUGHES PERFORMED BY: ABIGAIL PRINCE PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JOSHUA JACOBS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDYBJyq0ERc It’s an earth song,— And I’ve been waiting long for an earth song. It’s a spring song,— And […]
Sariah Thompson
Sariah Thompson bio here
Where in the World is Tito: February 2026 – Fiesta!
STORY + PHOTOGRAPHY BY: TITO COMAS Where in the World is Tito Take a monthly journey as we follow along with Tito Comas’ frequent travels Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián is a must if you want to celebrate Christmas, art, music, and food Puerto Rican-style, all the way. From January 15–18, 2026, Old San […]
The Evolution of Legacy
WRITTEN BY: CYNTHIA WILSON GRAHAM PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JOSHUA JACOBS The Evolution of a Legacy From Booker T. Washington’s 1913 call to action to a modern center for education,recreation and civic pride, the Martin Luther King Jr. Complex stands as a testament to Black resilience, enterprise and community in Ocala. The grounds are now celebrated as […]
Building on the Boom
WRITTEN BY: BRAD ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JOSHUA JACOBS Building on the Boom New CEP chief Matt McCormick’s challenge is to help map Ocala’s economic future. For a chamber of commerce guy, getting the chance to come to work in a boomtown like Ocala/Marion County is a great opportunity. After all, our community is America’s fastest […]
Love Worth Waiting Fur
WRITTEN BY: JESSI MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JOSHUA JACOBS PROFILES BY VOCAL Cupid may miss his mark sometimes, but these VOCAL residents haven’t given up. This Valentine’s Day, skip the swipe fatigue and meet matches who don’t ghost, don’t play games, and are ready for the real thing. Looking for love? These hopeful hearts have been […]
Sentenced: February 2026 – The Minds Own Reckoning
WRITTEN BY: R.J. JENKINS ILLUSTRATION BY: JOSHUA JACOBS The Minds Own Reckoning A life-long lover of books—and especially, sentences—responds to ChatGPT’s answers to his questions about books—and especially, sentences The prompt: This sentence appears in Alice Munro’s 2009 collection of short stories, Too Much Happiness: “In your life there are a few places, or maybe only […]
Bookmarked: February 2026 – Romantasy in February
Romantasy in February BY: BARBARA FITOS February—the season of love and the month we honor the legacy of Black history. What better way to begin than with “romantasy”—the newest subgenre combining fantasy and romance. “Romantic fantasy,” coined in 2008, became wildly and virally popular on social media through such authors as Sarah J. Maas […]
Personalities: February 2026 – Explosive Growth is Here to Stay
PERSONALITIES BY: BRAD ROGERS Explosive Growth is Here to Stay Marion County was the fastest growing metro area in the land last year Road capacity is not keeping up. Schools are scrambling to provide enough classrooms. A reassessment of our water supply is always on the back burner. The Census Bureau reported last month that […]
Small Business Power: February 2026 – Weide Automotive
NOTABLE › SMALL BUSINESS POWER Each month Small Business Power celebrates the innovation, resilience, and impact of entrepreneurs whose work shapes the heart of our community. This month we spotlight: WRITTEN BY: CHRIS CAHILLPHOTOGRAPHY BY: JOSHUA JACOBS Weide Automotive Built on faith, empathy and high-level craftsmanship, Weide Automotive Repair is redefining what honest service looks […]
One Dish: February 2026 – Kayta Vineyards
WRITTEN BY:KENDRA BRAZZEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JOSHUA JACOBS A Composition in Flavor A plate of lobster ravioli and seared scallops at Katya Vineyards tells a story through texture, balance, and intention, blurring the line between dining and artistic expression. It is immersive, satisfying and surprisingly emotional. A plate of lobster ravioli and seared scallops at Katya […]
Word: February 2026 – Amira Sims
WORD | FEBRUARY 2026 The written word is one thing. Hearing it is another. Each month we invite you to both. I Hear Sayings WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY: AMIRA SIMS PHOTOGRAPHY + VIDEO BY: JOSHUA JACOBS https://youtu.be/uTdeorZ9sv8 This poem is a nod to the idea that there is always some level of translation or change […]
The Writing is on the Wall
LITTLE MAN, BIG MOUTH The Writing is on the Wall WRITTEN BY DAVE SCHLENKER A sobering look at the emotional weight modern teens shoulder, revealed through sticky notes. To be sure, I had my share of bullies and broken hearts in high school. I was a twig of a kid sifting through ample peer pressure […]
Doing Good: Friends of Marion County Library
Check This Out! “Without libraries, what have we? We have no past and no future.” -RAY BRADBURY How a volunteer-led Friends group help sustain, strengthen and advocate for Marion County’s public libraries When most of us think about public libraries, we assume they’re funded entirely by tax dollars and managed solely by local government. In […]
Pod: January, 2026 – Hotrod Hangout
CULTURE >>> PODS Hotrod Hangout An all-vehicles-welcome conversation fueled by builds, stories, and pure obsession with cars CAST / MEMBERS Matt (host) and Ashley (cohost) HOW OFTEN/WHEN DO YOU DROP NEW EPISODES? Every Thursday at 8:00 p.m. EST. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO HIT “RECORD” ON YOUR CONVERSATIONS INSTEAD OF JUST KEEPING THEM AMONG FRIENDS? […]
One Dish: January, 2026 – The Black Sheep on Broadway
WRITTEN BY: KENDRA BRAZZEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JOSHUA JACOBS One Dish: The Black Sheep on Broadway Tucked in the Shadows of Growth At The Black Sheep on Broadway they’ve intentionally created a place where people gather for live music, conversation, and connection. As I walk toward my destination, a high-rise crane towers overhead. Construction noises fill […]
Presence of Mind
BY: JESSI MILLER Presence of Mind The antidote to tech overload, overwhelm, burnout, and rampant anxiety may lie in mindfulness—which asks just one thing of us: to slow down long enough to be fully here and now. Life impolitely keeps coming at us, and sometimes it doesn’t feel okay. I once found myself sitting […]
Bookmarked: January 2026
Bookmarked: Turning the Page Together BY: BARBARA FITOS How one local book club — and many others — remind us that reading is better when shared. It’s a NEW YEAR…may the year ahead bring the promise of joy, peace, and love …and of course, BOOKS! And hoping your holiday season was filled with countless blessings […]
For Foam And Glory
STORY, ILLUSTRATION AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JOSHUA JACOBS For Foam and Glory Thaliondor isn’t just a LARP—it’s a shared mythology, contact sport, and a temporary refuge from modern life, where the only thing that matters is the sword in your hand and the story you leave behind. Before memory was measured in years and before borders […]