Lowell, Florida

Lowell Correctional Institution is a women's prison in unincorporated Marion County, Florida, north of Ocala, in the unincorporated area of Lowell. A part of the Florida Department of Corrections, it serves as the primary prison for women in the state. Almost 3,000 women are incarcerated in the complex, which includes the Lowell Annex. As of 2015 2,696 women are in the main Lowell CI, making it the largest prison for women in the United States; its prison population became larger than that of the Central California Women's Facility that year.It opened in April 1956 as the Florida Correctional Institution and was the first Florida prison for women. It houses community, minimum, medium, and close custody inmates. At the time it was opened, Lowell was the only prison that housed solely female offenders in the state. In 1999, the name was changed to Lowell Correctional Institution/Women's Unit, and in 2000 it was given the latest title of Lowell Correctional Institution. It has a maximum population of 1,456 female inmates ranging anywhere from youth (14–18) to adults (18+). The Annex has a maximum general population of 1,500 and another 150 special housing beds for close management, death row, medical isolation, and confinement. It has consistently been associated with inmate abuse, sexual abuse, inhumane conditions, and little to no intervention from the State of Florida (Miami Herald, 2015, 2017)The facility is currently under investigation for unsafe conditions with regards to the ongoing pandemic and nearly half of the inmates have tested positive as of September 11 2021 according to the Florida department of corrections (FDC, FDC Responds to COVID-19 at Lowell Correctional Institution). Inmates have taken to social media describing overcrowding, lack of medical care, and severe illness in some inmates.

The Florida Women's Reception Center (FWRC) is a state prison for women located in Ocala, Marion County, Florida, owned and operated by the Florida Department of Corrections.This facility has multiple missions for Florida state female inmates: "reception, in-patient mental health, faith, and character based (programs) and general population." It has a maximum capacity of 1345 inmates at a mix of security levels, including minimum, medium, and close. Prior to August 2013, it was known as the "Lowell Reception Center", reflecting its relationship with the nearby Lowell Correctional Institution, which is the largest single women's prison in the U.S. The facility is also adjacent to Florida's Marion Correctional Institution, a men's facility. FWRC has come under criticism for the quality of its medical care. Following an audit in September 2015, an oversight board declared a "medical emergency" at the facility, citing at least three individual inmates with untreated life-threatening medical conditions, poor recordkeeping, and other serious deficiencies on the part of the DOC and its medical provider, Corizon.

Marion Correctional Institution is a state prison for men in unincorporated Marion County, Florida, near Ocala. It is owned and operated by the Florida Department of Corrections. The facility houses a maximum of 1324 inmates at a mix of security levels. It stands near to Florida's Florida Women's Reception Center and Lowell Correctional Institution, both women's facilities.

Martin is an unincorporated community in Marion County, Florida, United States, located on County Road 25A. The community is part of the Ocala Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The Fessenden Elementary School is a historic school established previously known as Fessenden Academy in the outskirts of Ocala, Florida, between Martin and Zuber. It is part of the Marion County Public Schools district. On September 29, 1994, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Old Fessenden Academy Historic District The district covers 150 acres (0.61 km2) and has 3 buildings and 1 structure. A school has existed at the current location since 1868, when Fessenden was founded as a private academy for African-American students.

North Marion High School is a public high school and magnet school located in Citra, Florida. The school's athletic teams are known as the Colts and the varsity football team competes in the FHSAA Class 5A Division. The school colors are garnet and gold. The school currently serves 1,313 students in grades 9 through 12 (2018–19).

Zipline Safari is a zip-line course in Florida. It is the only zip-line course in the state, and is claimed to be the world's only zip-line created for flat land. Zipline Safari opened on 16 January 2009 in Forever Florida, a wildlife attraction near Holopaw, Florida. The zip-line cost $350,000 to build, and consists of nine platforms built up from the ground and traveled between by zip-lining. Forever Florida built the course to promote ecotourism and interaction with the natural environment of Florida.

Zuber is an unincorporated community in Marion County, Florida, United States. It is located near the intersection of State Road 326 and County Road 25A. Its commerce is supported by its proximity to Interstate 75. The community is part of the Ocala Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Sparr is an unincorporated community in Marion County, Florida, United States, located near the intersection of County Road 200A and County Road 329. The community is part of the Ocala Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Kendrick is an unincorporated community outside Ocala in Marion County, Florida, United States. It is named for former Florida State Senator, lecturer, and pioneer William H. Kendrick.

Jumbolair Airport (FAA LID: 17FL) is a private-use airport. It is located in the unincorporated community of Anthony, which is seven miles (11 km) northeast of Ocala, Florida, United States. Frank Merschman owned and operated Jumbolair until 2019 when it was sold to Jumbolair Development LLC, managed by Robert and Debra Bull. The airport has two runways: 18/36 with an asphalt pavement measuring 7,550 x 210 ft (2,301 x 64 m) and 9/27 with a grass surface measuring 3,640 x 100 ft (1,109 x 30 m). According to FAA documents, 9/27 ""Greystone"" grass airstrip was once so degraded that only the smallest aircraft could use it.

Ocala Gainesville Poker was a casino and former Jai Alai fronton located in Orange Lake, Florida (some sources say Reddick, Florida), that specialized in poker tournaments and live poker games. It was located midway between Ocala and Gainesville. The facility had 28 poker tables and 18 large plasma TVs that could be customized to display preferred sporting events or tracks for Inter Track Wagering (ITW) such as horse or dog races. The casino offered tableside massages at a rate of $1 per minute. A bar and café was available on-site. Hosting private parties and tournaments was available at the venue. The establishment also had a jai alai team when in season. The facility was 60,000 square feet and on a 50-acre property.The institution was first established in 1973 as Ocala Jai-alai, which was a branch office of the Miami fronton. At one time, the jai alai performances could attract about 2,000 people. However, jai alai declined in popularity, so in 2008 the name was changed to Ocala Poker & Jai Alai with the focus shifted to poker.Due to the decline in popularity of jai alai, Ocala Gainesville Poker along with other frontons in Florida held matches as few as thirty days a year to satisfy the requirement to maintain its gambling license. They held forty performances (twenty matinee and twenty night performances) of eight games each to fulfill its legal requirements, but the performances were done behind curtains so as not to distract the poker tables. The jai alai season generally was in February and March.Previously the fronton would have ten to twelve players, but by 2014, they used the same two non-professional players, former University of Florida football players Chris Doering and Judd Davis. The casino generated profit through other means, such as poker. It had been criticized particularly by those in the jai alai community for holding low quality jai alai matches with non-professional players.Second Chance Jai Alai operated the business until it defaulted on its rent and other agreements in 2017. At that, time the Ocala Breeders’ Sales (OBS) group who had purchased the property in July 2000 took over the operation and renamed it to Ocala Gainesville Poker.Ocala Gainesville Poker permanently closed on October 28, 2023 to help facilitate the new room in the region, Ocala Bets, also owned by OBS.