Ocala Star Banner  Purchased by Halifax Media Group.  

Marion Sun Times Editors take time to enjoy and gloat a bit, about the great accomplishment of winning the great Marion County competition with the New York Times Star Banner.  Kind of a intellectual great Sumo Match for the right to send the message out to the people of Central Florida.  Actually, there appears to be a beneficial shift in editorial content since the change in ownership.  

Thanks to everyone who encouraged the "great Electron Slinger" Don Browning and his creation The Marion Sun Times.   Don tilted against impossible odds, as he competed in the on line world with the New York Times in order to raise the bar of intellectual thought to normal community standards.  Perhaps the Star Banner had to play the game dictated by its New York Times owners.  Now we as a community, have a chance to open the flood gates of commerce and fair balanced logical reasoned reporting.  We celebrate the start of a new day.  Marion County is now opening to a new era of prosperity.  Ocala get ready for prosperity.  

We now can leap into active profitable commerce.  Let's get ready to rock!  Even in our hour of celebration we extend a helping hand to the employees of the Star Banner to come join us at the Marion Sun Times as we throw a life line.  News stories appear to be more balanced and likely to help the community prosper.

Economic Action Leader of the Year, Jimmy Leeward

Developer of the CP-35, Sunshine Lane Industrial Parks, and the Leeward Air Ranch

Among many other Economic Development Promotions.  

Without Jimmy Leeward, tourism, and Economic Development would never be the same in Central Florida.

Aircraft arrive from around the country, multiple times each year to visit Marion County and Visit the Leeward Air Ranch. 

 Albright makes it to 80, Who would have thunk!

80 years of good works is a heck of a legacy.  

George Albright Jr. gathered with with the community, at the Historic Lake Weir Yacht Club to celebrate life with wife Aggie of 38 years family and friends.

Famous Aviator Of the Leeward Air Ranch Racing Team, Jimmy Leeward dies in Racing Crash at Reno 3 Killed

By Andy Cowper and Don Browning, Marion Sun Times

RENO, Nev. First responders cleared the scene of a horrific Racing Crash during Friday's qualifiers of the Reno Air Races in Sparks Nevada, Stead Field.

Known internationally as one of the world's most talented aviators, Jimmy Leeward was killed in the third lap of an early heat competing for the World Air Racing Title.

Flying in his P51 Mustang WWII vintage fighter, modified to race Jimmy apparently experienced control failure as images show the Trim Tab trailing in a particularly detached position.

The NTSB Federal Investigators are examing the scene hoping to determine the cause of the failure.  Three people including pilot Jim Leeward were killed in the acident with scores injured.

According to aviators with time piloting the North American Aviation P51, at high speeds the wind load to the controls was considerable and any failure of a control surface is likely to cause considerable disruption to flight controls.

Known as a person of the highest integrity on the ground and in the air, Jim Leeward was the consummate Aviator who very likely struggled in the final moments of the flight to keep the aircraft away from the spectator stands.

Eye witnesses are reporting that as the aircraft came around the left turning course, the P51 seemed to climb and roll with a trend to the right and the grandstands.   Photographs from AP show the Trim Tab partially detached and the aircraft pitching, rolling, and diving.  It appears that Jimmy Leewards final act was to avoid the spectators.  The release of energy was so great upon impact that many persons were struck by debris.

Reports are streaming in and the story will unfold as facts are determined.  

Known in Central Florida as a developer, auto racer in IMSA tracks, community leader and Aviator to the world Jimmy founded the Leeward Air Ranch in Marion County Florida near Belleview.  

IHMC is making very special waves in Marion County with its Afternoon Lecture Program.

 View Art sponsored by Don Browning, meet scientific speakers and visit with central Florida's community leaders. 

 Governor Rick Scott sets stage for a new energized Florida Department of Environmental Protection.  Known for Truth and Effective Straight Talk, Hershel Vinyard Jr. appointment is confirmed by the Florida Senate.  Florida's Water Districts scheduled as first priority for budgetary and policy reform.

 One of Herschel Vinyard's first moves was to appoint Melissa Meeker, a former South Florida Water District board member to oversee Regulations, Lobbying, Land Deals, Permitting, and Budgets of Florida's 5 Water Districts.  "So far Secretary Vinyard is batting 1000", Florida Economic Development Council.

Governor Scott has made it clear that Florida needs more control and consistency in Water District policies.  Stewardship and preservation of our water resources are needed if we are to effectively regulate our state environmental assets and Melissa Meeker has been given the task of establishing consistent statewide water policy between the 5 Water Districts.  

Team Conservation Water Czar Muriel Lash gives Ms Meeker "two thumbs up" in her new assignment.  For many years Florida's Water Districts have operated as Regional Empires sometimes issuing conflicting policy rulings in the same county.  Coordination and consistency has become a requirement in modern water policy, for example between Southwest Florida and St Johns Water Management Districts.  In Marion County the two districts are separated by topographic transportation boundary I-75 with conflicting policies and reduced stewardship of the State Waters that flow across and past in the Floridan Aquifer below.  

Withdrawal techniques are sometimes more important than the amount of water that is taken.  Big Gulp 24' wells cause a cone of depletion all the way to the surface that mother nature can't fill.  There is plenty of water but like a giant "milkshake" with the entire football team sucking on a single straw, a cone of collapse forms around the straw.  "In big wells, the cone of depletion forms around the well, draining local surface water bodies", declared noted geologist  Dr. Thomas Kwader. 

Just in:  CFCC returns to an Educational Mission.  Dr Chick Dassance decides to let go of the reigns Central Florida College and inter retirement as a private citizen.  Leaving the regional political role, Dr Dassance is stepping down as the Central Florida Community College president.

  Out of politics CFCC can go back to its charter mission of Education.  Many in the Central Florida Community have struggled to keep Community in our CFCC, Central Florida Community College.  Having a 4 year degree program is only a plus, not an excuse to pretend Our Community College is now a a UCF or UF.  Community Colleges are important as a work force educator, adult education resource and as a launching pad for students that will hopefully go on to major four programs.

Central Florida Public Policy Institute to address the new opportunities that will help the Governor of Florida turn the economy around.

Viva La Florida Launches State Wide Celebration. 

Ocala Cool and Silver Ocala promote World Wide Mineral Water Marketing Campaign. 

Governor Rick Scott's 2011 Florida Recovery Budget

Scott to Streamline Government.  Contracts such as the Utilities Pollution Community reeducation programs may end. 

Eustis Florida, home of the Central Florida Tea Party movement attended by

Candidates Patricia Sullivan and Don Browning celebrating success at the poles

of State Governor Candidate Rick Scott.  Governor Scott's Recovery plans include Tax Cuts of over $2 billion and

reduced state spending by over $5 billion.

New Jobs Budget will devote over $800 million over two years for Economic Development.

Pension Reform will save taxpayers $2.8 billion over two years. 

Education budget to remain stable - no cuts.

Medicade will save nearly $4 billion over two years with patient-directed system. 

Governor Scott gives the AX to DCA.  Rick Scott's important Economic Development Action shows a clear understanding of the harm done by DCA through Springs Protection and Land Use Plan cover.  Joining with DOT and DEP, the DCA worked to stop economic growth whenever and where ever possible.  Reading the Springs Protection Handbook gives clear instruction as to how DCA was able to stop growth in every county in Florida.  

There is no other single step more important to the economic turn around of Florida than the Killing of DCA, and announcing the move in the Villages.  Marion County's own economic success story often covered up by the Anit Growth papers of Ocala and Gainesville, the Villages is a national Success Story!  Governor Rick Scott takes steps to same His Florida's Economy.   Ocala's high unemployment can learn a great deal from the southern part of Marion County.  

Marion County Chamber of Commerce Visits Tallahassee.  Jaye Ballie of Ocala CC.Com The Big 5 Star Ocala Chamber of Commerce represented the Ocala half of the new Ocala Gainesville political group developed by CFCC President Chick Dessance, known as the Heart of Florida.  Marion County was represented by Barbara Fitos, Marion County Board of County Commission Chairman.

The City of Ocala officials were unable to join the City of Gainesville in the political effort of meeting with our legislators.  Ocala City Officials chose not attend as well as most Unincorporated Citizens.

Citizens and Marion County officials put their thinking caps on dealing with concerns about costly Springs Protection solutions.  Secretary Bronson estimates "a possible Billions of Tax Payers Dollars will be needed to reduce Sewer Utility discharge of nutrients into the aquifer?  Old habits die slowly.  Springs Pollution increase in direct correlation to Kanapaha Sewer Plant Discharge practices.  Because of the Isotropic Nature of Water, the sewer effluent spreads in all directions equally.  

Like pouring dye in a large container of water, the color will spread in all directions.  Orlando deposits 50 million gallons daily into the same aquifer.

See Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson comments on excess nutrients entering the Floridan Aquifer from Utilities.  EPA is requiring FDEP stop illegal dumping by City and Counties Utilities.

For years ACORN Style Community Organizing Groups have been funded by the FDEP but that system is failing bring about reduced pollution.  State revenue problems are drying up funds.  Private Groups are taking up the slack.  Springs Working Group .com is growing, while completely free of state funding.

 Most citizens of Marion County are surprised to learn that Storm Water and Sewer Effluent is discharged into the drinking water aquifer.  Most citizens have no idea that a reduction of Utility Discharge to the Aquifer is needed to reduce nitrates plaguing our springs with algae.

Google "Springs Protection" to get the full story.

Now that the public has now become aware of FDEP regulated Utilities problems, the stage is set to solve pollution.  At the top of the list is Kanapaha Sewer Treatment Plant operated by the City of Gainesville.

Environmental Scientist of the University of Florida know little about where the nitrates go, from the University of Florida.  It now appears that the waste from the university is ending up in the aquifer as part of the 6 million gallons of Sewer Effluent pumped into the Floridan Aquifer Daily.

Both Sewer Effluent and Storm Water Runoff from Gainesville and the University of Florida are entering the Aquifer just south of Gainesville.

EPA may now stop this practice, along with the dumping of Storm Sewer Nutrient Rich Runoff, into the Alachua Sink.

Marion County Environmental Champion Commissioner Stan McClain described recent discussions with elected authorities in Gainesville as a "Cost Saving Measure" when Gainesville Officials decided to dump into Sweet Water Creek and the big Alachua Sink Hole feeding the aquifer. 

With the surface dumping at the Alachua Sink, and the deep dumping mounding to the surface, Marion County Authorities are bracing for a Time Bomb of pollution.  

It is possible that we will never stop the algae problem in Silver and Rainbow Springs states Don Browning, Environmental spokesman for Springs Protection . Com.

You don't need a PhD to do the math.  10 parts per million and up of Total Nitrogen are discharged into the Floridan Aquifer leading to Silver and Rainbow Springs.  1 Part per million of Nitrates is causing a disaster level of Algae in the clear springs waters.  Federal and state drinking water standards allow up to 10 parts per million for nitrates.  Even 1 part per million is currently causing a problem in Florida Springs.  The 10 to 1 Green Problem will only get worse. 

Hopefully, when the University students and professors learn that their sewer effluent is going into the aquifer, they will make the bad management practices stop.  BMP;s are regularly written in Gainesville and the call for old bad management practices to stop in order to introduce best management practices will become a urgent pass-time at the Environmentally Engaged University.

City of Ocala and Marion County Storm Water Authorities pipe StormSewer Runoff into Drinking Water Aquifer.  Even the FDEP and St Johns authorities view the pollution with mixed feelings.  A scientist from St Johns Districts states that flooding is the first concern.  Springs are just going to have to suffer.

Utility Rates may have to be increase dramically when Storm Sewer Pollution must be filtered back out of Drinking Water Aquifer water.  The problem is complex.

Mixing Storm Sewer with Clean Drinking Water Aquifer is a gross mistake environmental artist Don Browning told a group of Government Workers.  We must think about filtering before we mix pollutants with drinking water.  Later filtering is much too costly.

Keeping Storm Sewer Pollution in Retention Ponds is the cheap way to filter out contaminents.  Browning described how the City of Ocala Drainage Pipes mix pollutants with the Drinking Water Aquifer.  City Storm Water engineer Bruce Phillips and County Storm Water experts had no estimates on the tonnage of pollutants entering the Drinking Water Aquifer in and around Ocala.  Utility customers are up in Arms over the possibility of extra costs to filter out the Storm Sewer pollution currently being sent into sink holes leading to the Drinking Water Aquifer.

Authorities are in a bind, on one hand dumping and allowing Dumping of Algae Growing Nitrates into Sink Holes will result in more pollution, but it also prevents flooding.  These same authorities then claim the Springs are Threatened with Algae Growth, but Springs are polluted in just a few hours as the clean water joins the river on the trip to the ocean.  One Springs Specialist suggested capturing just a small part of clean spring water for recharge is a better solution.  Let the utilities discharge high nutrient sewer effluent into the springs because it saves money.  

County Commissioners asked for Tonnage figures dumping into Silver River.  Storm Sewer Drainage from over 1400 acres currently dumps into Silver River about 10 feet below where water quality is checked by scientist.  The 1200 meter test site should have been another 10 or 15 feet down stream suggested this editor.  Dr. Bob Knight elected not to comment for this story, however as lead scientist on the St Johns 50 year Retro Study of Silver Springs he was key to missing the Nitrate Dumping By The City of Ocala into Silver River and Silver Springs.  The Study may need an update.  Marion County Commissioners now know that Springs Protection must start with the Storm Sewer Dumping in the Regulation Exempt Pollution Zone of Ocala.  The question is how much are cities like Gainesville, Ocala and Orlando willing to spend to clean up our springs.

 Silver Springs Attraction has allowed discharge of oil laden storm sewer runoff to go directly into the Silver Springs and River for many years.  Should we stand for this? Some environmental experts say yes, the cost of retention ponds is too great.  Flooding is also a concern for retention ponds without drains to the aquifer.  Discharge of a large volume of Sewer Waste dumped into water surrounding Silver Springs is now questioned after documentation last year by The Marion Sun Times. Charged with protecting the springs for the people of Florida, DEP has struggled with pollution on the property for many years, all the while heading up the Springs Protection Initiative for the Legislature and the people of Florida.  FDEP is in a difficult position.

  Inaction by State, City and County authorities is not an option that is acceptable to citizens of Marion County, and it is not an option that is acceptable to many legislators.  Perhaps harvesting of high nitrate effluents and storm water is the best solution, and a better option.

We essentially need a huge new historic recovery plan to stop the polluters.  We can not continue with the pollution growing greater. Trust in government is at risk.   Natural or Man Made Sink Holes have been added to the bottom of nearly all Drainage Systems causing massive Algae Growth in Silver Springs.  Environmental Artist, Don Browning said; " if you look at nearly every springs or shore line around the state you will find a link to Storm Sewer nitrate dumping."  It is not acceptable to me, and certainly not acceptable to the citizens of Florida to cause pollution and then benefit financially from the pollution. Perhaps we can reevaluate the problem and use the high nutrient pollution as fertilizer thereby saving our clean water resources.

DEP Secretary Mike Sole is struggling to gain control of a very problematic Springs Protection Movement.  Often described as the "Fireman Starting Fires to become more Important", Cities, Counties and private companies have joined in a massive cover up of Nitrate Tonnage Dumping into the ground water near Springs.  The resulting algae growth is held up as a reason these groups must secure more funding.

This Dysfunctional System was well in place before Mike Sole took over as chief of DEP.  Citing growing pollution of our springs state wide, this Springs Protection Faction is covering up the pollution sources in order to gain continued funding.  Anti-growth Anti-development sentiment and Environmental Groups are duped into thinking it is the general population that is causing the pollution.  Marion Springs Protection efforts have now introduced Land Use Comprehensive Plans that control growth all across Marion County.  At the center of the effort to change and restrict the comprehensive land use plan in Marion County is the City of Ocala.

Marion Sun Times uncovers conspiracy to pollute Silver Springs in order to secure funding to clean it up.  DEP Secretary Mike Sole has his hands full.

 For decades the tonnage of Nitrates shipped to Silver Springs By the Silver Springs Attraction Lessee, and the City of Ocala has been increasing.  Mike Sole is fighting a losing battle hoping to clean up the springs pollution caused by Storm Sewer Systems in Ocala.  DOT, the department of transportation is at the center of decades of pollution to Silver Springs.  Stopping DOT from threating the springs is not possible it seems.  State wide Drainage Pipes were King for Decades.

Even St. Johns River Water Management District and other government authorities are unable to correct the Fraud brought on by years of drilling sink holes called drainage wells to dump City Runoff into the Aquifer.  Usually the "Funky Stuff" loaded with algae growing nitrates lies in a plumb below a city, not noticed.  But in the case of Marion County, a great deal of the pollution flushes out at the first magnitude Silver Springs and Rainbow Springs.

 Not able to stop the pollution, the DEP authorities developed a plan to ask the Legislature to fund a program called Springs Protection Initiative.  DEP became the police and were able to cover up the actual pollution source.  Now after thousands of tons of nutrients have caused a chronic algae bloom in our springs,  Government paid employees at City, County, Water District and State levels are dependent on threatened springs in order to secure and expand their funding.

Even private companies such as Pandion Systems has grown dependent on the Storm Sewer Pollution of Silver Springs and Silver River.  Using Silver Springs as a key example the Springs Working Group Spokesman arm of DEP has become an un-registered lobbying group.  Top on their agenda is organizing anti-growth, political factions across the state to bring pressure on Legislators for more political control and funding.

 Water Test Results Ordered by the Marion County Commission, for Nitrate contamination show Marion County Aquifer Clean.

Click below to know more about Springs Protection.  See more on Well Testing. We have good news.  Yes, we wasted a lot of money before we looked closely, but we did look and now we know we have Plentiful Water, And Clean Water!

Based on Findings on the Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes,  concerns about lawn fertilizers or Septic Systems are put to rest.  Stop the Protection Zones, end the scare tatics of the private sector.  

Sewer from the extensive animal exhibit is dumping into the Silver River and seeping into Silver Springs.  The many studies funded by the landlord DEP failed to mention the polluting from the attraction sewer problems and the city of Ocala dumping into 28 drainage wells and several sink holes just above the famous springs.

We the citizens of Florida own Silver Springs.  The lease requires the lessee to meet current environmental standards.  The lease is in default.  It is time for DEP to step up and solve the environmental issues caused by the Attraction Management and the City of Ocala leading to excess Algae in Silver Springs.

Dumping of Storm Sewer Runoff into the Aquifer above violates all Environmental Standards.  Many organizations benefit by sending storm sewer runoff to Silver Springs.  If the springs stay fouled with Algae, The City of Ocala is able to churn up popular support for new Environmental Regulation out in the rest of Marion County.  Yes, you heard right.  Pollution goes in to the springs from Ocala, yet it is the citizens out side of Ocala that are regulated by the resulting Springs Protection Ordinance.  Ocala and Dunnellon are exempt from Marion Springs Protection Laws.  Can you believe it?

The real problem with Ocala pollution to Silver Springs is the loss of the once popular Attraction.  Yes, it is just about out of business.  The Department of Environmental Protection has let the standards laps, and now acre upon acre of parking sends oil laden runoff directly into the Silver Springs and River.

Sewer from the animals is liquidised and sent to a pool surrounding the Springs.  Algae growth and insect larva reduction from the oil on the water causes a loss of natural food supply for fish in the river and springs.

Learn about new proposals that almost became LAW.  Yes, they were about to be considered as new law in Marion County.  These proposed laws would have impacted almost every aspect of your daily life.  A small group who intended to do a service to the community, instead went down an erroneous path that ended blaming normal citizens, home owners for problems down in the Silver Springs Basin. 

The group proposing new Law, thought nitrate levels in Silver Springs were being caused by homeowners all across Marion County.

The Springs Protection Zone hurts Marion County and does not help the Springs.  As each Citizen reads the proposals it becomes apparent that much is amiss.  Our Commissioners stopped the nonsense and rejected the program just in time.