🌱 Ocala’s Twistee Treat reopens—what changed after those failed inspections?

Hey hey Ocala! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Ocala's Twistee Treat reopens—what changed after those failed inspections?
• How could a new Ocala racetrack reshape Marion County's future?
• What a scathing grand jury report says about child protection here

Also on today's calendar: Rainbow Springs Garden Club.

Today's riddle: Where do math teachers go on vacation? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Saturday: Humid; an afternoon t-storm, with a high of 91 and low of 74 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
• Sunday: Cloudy, a thunderstorm; humid, temps: high: 90, low: 74.
• Monday: A heavy t-storm in the p.m., with a high of 87 and low of 74 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Twistee Treat reopens Ocala location after temporary closure for roaches, unsafe food temperatures (ocala-news.com) — Health inspectors have cleared the Twistee Treat on SW College Road in Ocala to reopen after two failed inspections for roaches and unsafe ice cream temperatures earlier in the week. A third inspection on September 2 found no remaining violations, allowing the popular ice cream stand to resume full operations while locals weigh how the issues were handled.
   

• A Marion County Thoroughbred racetrack is a dream 15 years in the making (352today.com) — Plans for a new Thoroughbred racetrack in Ocala are moving forward, backed by Gilligan Racing and a long‑held nonprofit racing permit controlled by local industry leaders. Supporters say the project could become a major economic and entertainment hub for Marion County, though the exact site, design, and final approvals are still being worked out with room for community input.
   

• Grand jury report accuses DCF of 'failing catastrophically' in several Central Florida counties (wesh.com) — A new grand jury report blasts Florida's DCF Circuit 5, which includes Marion County and Ocala, for what it calls catastrophic failures that left vulnerable children and adults unprotected. Citing cases like an Ocala toddler's fatal overdose and alleged falsified records, jurors outline 34 reforms, from body cameras on investigators to stricter drug testing and better tracking of repeated abuse reports.
   

📸 Around Ocala

Subscribe

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Ocala

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Thursday October 1
• Ahren Belisle →
  Marion Theatre, 50 S Magnolia Ave, Ocala
  7:30 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Thursday September 24
• Rainbow Springs Garden Club →
  Rainbow Springs Community center, 19330 93rd Place Road, Dunnellon
  1:00 pm

📣 Ocala Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Saturday September 5
• Run The Resort 5k
  Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce Mission Resort + Club 10400 County Road 48 Howey-in-the-Hills, FL, 34737
  7:30 am
• Pancake Breakfast
  Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce Tangerine Improvement Society 7101 Wright Avenue Tangerine, FL 32777
  8:00 am
• Known World Armored Combat Collegium 2026
  Kingdom of Trimaris Mandt Center,, 400 Mandt Parkway, WI, 53589
  9:00 am
• Saturday Brunch at Eden Abbey
  Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce Eden Abbey Brewing Community 405 S. Highland St. Mount Dora, FL 32757
  12:00 pm
• Fold and Chat
  Micanopy Branch Library Micanopy Branch - Dance Hall
  2:00 pm
• Live Piano at Tremain's Tavern at Lakeside Inn
  Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce 341 Alexander St, Mt Dora, FL 32757
  6:00 pm
• Live Music at Eden Abbey
  Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce Eden Abbey Brewing Community 405 S. Highland St. Mount Dora, FL 32757
  7:00 pm
Sunday September 6
• Mount Dora Village Market
  Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce Sunset Park Downtown Mount Dora
  10:00 am
• Farmer's Market (Every Sunday) →
  Homestead Park, 1050 NE 6th Blvd, Williston
  12:00 pm
• Sunday Brunch at Eden Abbey
  Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce Eden Abbey Brewing Community 405 S. Highland St. Mount Dora, FL 32757
  12:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• 4 month old puppy named Marshall looking for his forever home.
  He is fixed & has all of his shots. Free to a good home. Contact me if you're interested. (Nextdoor Hood)
• Update: Pet Reunited
  A dog who went missing in Ocala, FL, has been safely reunited with their family after 55 minutes. Message from Finder: "Very sweet friendly dog.. I… (Nextdoor SE 64th Ave Rd)

• Walmart posted a job opening for Stocking Team Associate in Ocala. Apply here.
• CVS Health posted a job opening for Shift Supervisor in Ocala. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Ocala here.

🗞 Nearby News

Belleview

• Liberty Rings Goes for Third Stakes Victory in Three Rings (ftboa.com)
• Top residential real estate sales for Aug.17-21 in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Osprey, Nokomis (yourobserver.com)
• The grand jury spoke on DCF failures. How did public agencies respond? (coralspringsflnews.com)

Dunnellon

• Marion County School Board considers sales tax bonds to fund new construction (wuft.org)

Hernando

• 4th Florida death from Vibrio infection (clickorlando.com)

Ok Ocala! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Times Square (Thank you Jean K. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

• Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
• Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
• List items for sale or services offered

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook