Ormond Beach Observer 06-06-24

ORMOND BEACH

CITY WATCH

Residents ask city to reinstate golf at Riverbend

A group of Ormond Beach residents attended the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, June 4, with a mission in mind: Ask the city to pursue seeking a new golf course operator for the former River Bend golf course property.

The residents’ interest comes after City

Commissioner Travis Sargent said at a May 21 meeting that he believed the city should consider issuing a request for proposals for a new operator, to gauge interest in the community. Riverbend closed in 2020 when its last operator filed for bankruptcy.

“It makes no sense that it wasn’t put out for bid at that time,” resident Barb Moore said. “So it appears, possibly, the golf course was closed only to extend the (airport) runway through three holes in the back nine.”

The city inquired about reinstating a golf course on the property in January 2021; at the time, the FAA responded that since the city was considering a runway extension to include lands used by the course, it seemed “counter intuitive” to reassign the lease.

Native landscaping gets city support

Ormond Beach City Commissioner Lori Tolland said she wants the city to be recognized as a statewide leader in native plant installations in municipal spaces.

To do that, she proposed that the city amend its landscape ordinance to favor Florida native plants at the commission’s meeting on Tuesday, June 4.

The city’s land development code currently requires that 50% of replacement trees be native in all zoning districts, and, that at least 50% of landscape areas be composed of xeric — or drought-tolerant — plants. Tolland proposed that the standards be increased to mandate that 75% of all required landscape materials, including shade trees, be native, and not xeric.

“I have high hopes that you will

agree with me that this is a critical conversation,” Tolland said. “It’s my hope that in Ormond Beach, Florida native plants are the preferred landscaping choice in all applications.”

Seven residents spoke in favor of native plants at the meeting, including Halifax River Audubon member Melissa Lammers.

Lammers said the night’s presentation was kickstarting an important discussion about land development codes pertaining to landscaping, and how native plants can help the bird population, which has been impacted nationwide due to habitat loss.

“Most local ordinances focus on water conservation,” she said. “... Water conservation and Floridafriendly landscaping are good, but they’re not good enough. They won’t lead us to a future where people and

wildlife thrive.” Tolland suggested that the city could look to Cassen Park — for which a redesign is in the works — as a “new trophy for native plants” in the city.

In 2022, the Garden Club of the Halifax Country (of which Tolland is a member), in partnership with the city, turned Vadner Park into the city’s first all-native plant park, an effort that began in 2019.

Pursuing an amendment to the city’s landscape ordinance to favor native plants is “the right thing,” said City Commissioner Susan Persis.

“I applaud you (Tolland) for you championing this,” Persis said.

A proposed ordinance update would require it to be reviewed by the Planning Board before coming back to the commission for approval.

“This is problematic and unless we get permission — a roadmap, a roadway — from the state legislature, I’m out on this.”

officers.

County Councilman Troy Kent on body cameras for code enforcement

See Page 5A

Police Pension Ordinance is updated

Surviving family members of eligible Ormond Beach Police officers will now receive lifetime pension benefits.

The City Commission unanimously approved on Tuesday, June 4, a modification to the Police Pension Ordinance that will provide a lifetime benefit for the surviving beneficiary of OBPD employees who are eligible for retirement at the time of their death. Prior to the modification, the pension plan only provided a 10year benefit to the surviving beneficiary.

The pension plans for both general city employees and firefighters already provided lifetime benefits.

Airport Business Park expansion moves forward

The City Commission also approved a $211,570 work authorization to Zev Cohen and Associates for the site design of a 15-acre undeveloped parcel within the Airport Business Park. The parcel, to be known as Crosswind Park, will provide “a critical economic development opportunity for the city to create pad ready sites for development by companies wishing to relocate or expand in Ormond Beach,” according to the

observerlocalnews.com

In 2022, Vadner Park became Ormond Beach’s first native plant park. File photo by Jarleene Almenas

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

‘We care’

Riverview Learning Center says farewell to its Daytona Beach campus.

WRITER

Music and laughter permeated the air surrounding the Riverview Learning Center as Principal Thomas Soli grabbed the microphone to address everyone attending the “We Care Celebration” on Wednesday, May 29.

The event came to fruition following the Volusia County School Board’s decision on Feb. 27 to relocate the program to the old Osceola Elementary School property in Ormond Beach. The transfer will allow all of Riverview’s students to be housed in one campus. The move was also spurred on by current building conditions.

“We wanted to have a community event to show that schools, specifically Riverview, and the SeabreezeUniversity volunteer group … have such a good relationship,” Soli said. “Thank you to all for making everything happen for the kids, teachers and also the community.”

Soli said Bradford Gonzalez, who lives across the street from the school and is a member of the SeabreezeUniversity Group Neighborhood Watch, approached him about organizing an event for the faculty, staff and students. Gonzalez said he hoped to let them know that the school was wanted in the neighborhood after reading newspaper articles about the board’s decision and attending one of the public meetings.

In March, about 80 people attending a contentious community information meeting at Osceola. Concerns included neighborhood safety and lack of transparency regarding the transfer of Riverview.

Soli suggested combining the annual “thank you barbecue” with

“Really, it (the event) was to reinforce that the school and community can work together to care for the students, neighborhood and families we serve .”

THOMAS SOLI, Riverview Learning Center Principal

the idea of a community event. They came up with the “We Care Celebration”.

“Really, it (the celebration) was to reinforce that the school and community can work together to care for the students, neighborhood and families we serve,” Soli said.

Gonzalez invited community members and officials from the Daytona Beach area while Soli contacted the Volusia County School District. In attendance were Monica Paris, Daytona Beach Zone 2 City Commissioner, and Ken Strickland, Daytona Beach Zone 1 City Commissioner. Riverview is in his zone. They were joined by Daytona Beach Police Department Capt. Jeremy Nikolow and three firefighters from the Daytona Beach Fire Department — Anthony Manousakis, Antwan Lewis and Tim Will.

During the event, Paris said she and Soli discovered they were raised in the same neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. She moved to the area in 2016, got involved in politics in 2021 and was elected as the Zone 1 commissioner in November 2022. She said when she was campaigning and door-knocking, she thought she was lucky to have the greatest neighbors who get along with one another.

“Then when I was going a couple blocks away, I found out there were other groups like this,” she said. “It’s very neighborhood-oriented and people do watch out for each other.

People chose to move here.”

Tracy Remark, city of Daytona Beach Historic Preservation Board Chair and local resident, said Riverview was built in 1926 and is one of the oldest schools in Volusia County.

“We are going to miss you,” Remark said. “I am saying that for the neighborhood and saying it from my heart.

This (the Riverview Learning Center) has been the best neighbor ever.”

Soli has been the principal at Riverview since 2022 and been in education for 28 years. He believes the school is a success due to his staff and the relationships they have built with the community.

“We change students lives for the better and get them back on track for success,” he said. “All our staff members really care about our kids and they are the number one reason for our success.”

Dr. Maggie Cotto has been with Riverview since 2001. It was her first full-time teaching job. She said she never thought teaching would be a calling because she did not like school as a kid.

“I love working with this particular community of students,” she said. “I have loved it all these years. Now I have students whose parents I’ve taught. That’s how long I’ve been here.”

Cotto said what works at Riverview that could work at other schools is the small student population, small class size and the low ratio of students to teachers.

Gregory Stokes retired from the Ormond Beach Police Department on Aug. 1, 2023 and started work as a paraprofessional at Riverview on Sept. 19, 2023. He was previously the school resource officer at Ormond Beach Middle School, with a population of close to 1000 students.

“Believe it or not, it’s less hectic than Ormond Middle,” he said. “It’s nice here. There are less than 200 kids here at any one time. They’re on their best behavior because they are trying to get back to their schools.”

According to the Volusia County Schools website, Riverview provides an alternative educational platform with focus on modifying behavior and social skills for students ranging from sixth through twelfth grades. Cotto said oftentimes students that come to their facility may not have had the behavioral skillset to be successful at a bigger school; therefore, developed negative relationships with the adults there.

Part of the hook for Cotto is the desire to convince the students that there are adults who care and want them to succeed.

“We don’t want you to fail or feel bad about yourself,” she said about the Riverview students. “Part of it is convincing them that school is okay and it’s okay to be smart. You don’t have to act like you’re not smart to be cool. I feel like it is a lot of changing their perspective.”

Cotto said the move to the Osceola property is bittersweet.

“We love it here,” she said. “We love the neighbors. They are so good to us. They all wave when we come to work. The cookie lady bakes cookies for us. The kids make giant Christmas cards for them. We get along so well here with everybody. I’m sure it will be fine there, it’s just the unknown.”

Soli said he would like to think that the move is a stepping stone to stronger relationships in both communities.

“As we move to the Ormond Beach location, we still will serve the students in Daytona Beach,” he said. “It would be great to have the support of both communities as we look for volunteers, role models and mentors for our students.”

MICHELE MEYERS CONTRIBUTING

Seabreeze neighborhood watch member and “We Care Celebration” organizer, Bradford Gonzalez

The Riverview Learning Center faculty, staff and students, the Seabreeze-University Group Neighborhood Watch, city commissioners, guests, police and firefighters gather for a photo at the “We Care Celebration.” Photos by Michele Meyers

Riverview Learning Center paraprofessional Rose Zerra and social worker Verena Coes grab some shade while they listen to the speakers.

The Riverview Learning Center and the Seabreeze-University Group Neighborhood Watch collaborate to hold the “We Care Celebration.”

Retired Ormond Beach police officer Greg Stokes

Ryan Grutza grills hamburgers and hot dogs.

Riverview students Trent Wynn and Edward Turcotte race at the “We Care Celebration” in Daytona Beach.

Riverview Learning Center Principal Thomas Soli speaks to the group.

Seabreeze Allied Health Academy prepares students for real-life emergencies

Last month, ZZ Nichols, a rising senior at Seabreeze High School, used the skills she learned to help in the scene of a fatal car crash.

JARLEENE

ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Mackenzie “ZZ” Nichols usually gets her Starbucks fix in the morning at the cafe on West Granada Boulevard.

But on May 1, she saw that the line was long, and she had to get to school. So the Seabreeze High School junior opted to get her drink at the Starbucks on East Granada instead. She mobile-ordered her drink, and took another unusual detour on her way to school: Instead of taking Halifax Drive, she took A1A.

At 7:54 a.m., Ormond Beach Police and Ormond Beach Fire Rescue were dispatched to a major crash at A1A between Harvard Drive and Milsap Road.

The crash resulted in the death of 26-year-old Mary Pezza, of Ormond Beach, who was a passenger in a car driven by her husband. Charges for the driver who struck into the couple’s car that morning — 26-yearold Wyatt Dickerson — are pending, police say. According to a GoFundMe for Pezza, Dickerson was driving at 90 mph when he struck the Pezzas’ car.

Nichols arrived at the scene of the crash at 7:55 a.m., ahead of the dispatched first responders. She pulled off the side of the road and immediately joined the group of people and lifeguards that had approached the crash.

“I knew that I had to get out and help because I have the skillset,” Nichols said.

She’s CPR certified. She knows how to correctly use a defibrillator. She knows how to treat wounds and handle trauma in an emergency situation.

And she’s not the only Seabreeze student with these skills. All who are part of Seabreeze’s Allied Health Academy receive the same training.

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR MEDICAL FIELD

The Seabreeze Allied Health Academy is a four-year program that students apply in eight grade in order to start their freshman year. In the first year, they learn medical skills and become CPR certified. In their sophomore year, they take anatomy and physiology — a class Allied Health

Academy Director Kelley Lemon said shows the rigor students need to continue in the program.

Then in their junior and senior years, the students take courses that give them the opportunity to become a certified medical administrative assistant, electrocardiogram (or EKG) technicians and patient care technicians, the latter two which are of critical importance to local area hospitals, Lemon said.

Seabreeze currently has about 200 students in the academy. Most who complete the program go on to pursue medical careers.

Lemon, who has been teaching the program for five years, said that she just had 28 graduating seniors who were part of the academy. Of the 28, only one is not pursuing a career in medicine or a related field. She’s going into law instead.

“It’s pretty powerful — it’s nice to know you’re making an impact,” Lemon said. “But all the students have had an impact on us too. We become family.”

Lemon met Nichols long before either of them joined the academy. She was her sixth grade science teacher at Ormond Beach Middle School.

“So now I’m getting to have her again as a high schooler — it’s really cool to see how much she’s grown,” Lemon said. “She’s very energetic. She’s passionate about what she wants to do. She’s got a lot of big aspirations.”

When Lemon heard that Nichols was one of the first students on the scene of the fatal May 1 crash, she had conflicting feelings. The first being that no one ever wants a tragedy to happen, and that she never wants her students to be in a situation like that. The other? She was proud that her student knew what to do in an emergency situation while keeping herself safe.

What does she hope this instance says about the academy?

“I hope that it says that we’re doing what we need to do, that we’re helping prepare these kids for their futures in the medical field,” Lemon said. “We have pretty high standards. We like to set the bar high but all of our students want to maintain that level.”

SEEING LEARNING IN ACTION

Seabreeze Principal Tucker Harris greets his students and staff every morning. On May 1, a teacher informed him there had been a bad crash just a couple blocks down on A1A.

Not knowing if a student or teach-

Beachside Elementary celebrates last day of school with human sundae activity

Beachside Elementary celebrated the last day of school on Friday, May

er was involved, he drove to the scene of the accident. He asked the first responders if any involved were his kids, as he refers to his students. He was told no, and then he spotted Nichols in the middle of the scene.

“I didn’t even notice her there at first because she was working with all the first responders and EMTs and paramedics,” Harris said.

There were a few students watching from the sidewalk that Harris planned to escort back to school with him, so he asked Nichols if she wanted to go back with him as well.

“She said, ‘Mr. Harris, I’d prefer to stay,’” he recalled.

Harris agreed and excused her from her first period class.

Later in the day, two employees from Volusia County Beach Safety came by the school to offer Nichols a card with information on county employee counseling following the traumatic event. The employees told Harris that they had no idea Nichols was a high school student. They thought she was a nurse.

As principal, anytime he hears of his students applying the skills they learned at school in a real world situation makes him proud, Harris said. But to see it in action is another aspect entirely.

“It’s one thing to have a dummy in front of you that they can’t move, but to see it on the fly?” Harris said. “I lifeguarded on Daytona Beach for a number of years, so to see the kid responding in crisis and being controlled in crisis — that’s impressive. There’s adults that can’t handle that.”

THE CALIBER OF THESE STUDENTS

This past school year, Lemon conducted an exercise with her students involving gloves and shaving cream. The goal? Successfully remove the gloves without getting shaving cream on your skin — teaching her students how to remove their gloves without making contact with any bodily fluids or blood that may be present.

The first thing Nichols did when

she ran into the fatal crash scene was put on gloves. She found them in a lifeguard’s med kit.

“Miss Lemon really stressed — especially this year and ... the past years — that you don’t go on the scene without checking that it’s safe and putting on gloves,” Nichols said.

Seabreeze, Lemon said, has the highest pass rate for certification exams out of the other Allied Health Academy programs in the district.

“I think that speaks to the caliber of our students,” she said. “I like to think I have a little bit of a part in it, but mostly, it’s them — they want to be successful, and so they work to get there. I just facilitate that process.”

Her students make her proud all the time, whether it’s when they tell her of their career and college plans or how they’re putting their skills to work. One of her students, she said, is about to head on a study abroad trip to Colombia to work with underserved populations.

Next year’s senior class will be the Seabreeze academy’s biggest so far at 35 students, including Nichols.

Nichols, who will be working as a lifeguard this summer, said she hopes to go into emergency medicine after graduating as part of the 2025 class. The May 1 crash wasn’t the first time she jumped in to help in an emergency situation; earlier this year, she saw a motorcycle involved car crash after school and she helped first responders then too.

She wouldn’t have known what to do in either instance if it wasn’t for the program, she said.

After the May 1 crash, Nichols said she had some students ask her why she decided to help. Nichols said it was because she’s CPR certified — and that’s the point of the certification.

“If there’s ever a chance, I think everybody should be CPR certified in re-certified,” Nichols said. “You never know when you’ll have to use it. It could just be a freak accident someday at work or it could be driving to school after getting Starbucks.”

“She’s very energetic. She’s passionate about what she wants to do. She’s got a lot of big aspirations.”

KELLEY LEMON, Allied Health Academy Director

31, by turning two school administrators and three teachers into ice cream sundaes.

To celebrate students who scored a level 3, 4 or 5 on its latest state standardized assessment, the school allowed them the chance to select a sundae ingredient to pour on Principal Leigh Prokop, Assistant Principal Melissa Cleveland, Coach Jamie Frye, Teacher of the Year Melissa Heller and fifth grade teacher Debbie Treur.

“Their choices were ice cream,

chocolate syrup or sprinkles,” a statement to the Observer read. “As you can see, our students thoroughly enjoyed turning these individuals into human sundaes!”

The school also held a clap-out for high school grads who attended Osceola or Ortona Elementary, the former schools that were merged to create Beachside. Additionally, Kindergarten teacher Julie Via was recognized as she is retiring. Via taught kindergarten for 37 years.

Mackenzie “ZZ” Nichols and fellow students Ben Barak, Craig Robbins and Clover Milatzo demonstrate how to act in an emergency involving the need for CPR . Photos by Jarleene Almenas

Allied Health Academy Director Kelley Lemon and Mackenzie “ZZ” Nichols.

Beachside Elementary Assistant Principal Melissa Cleveland, Principal Leigh Prokop, fifth grade teacher Debbie Treur, Teacher of the Year Melissa Heller and Coach Jamie Frye. Courtesy photos

High school grads that attended Osceola or Ortona Elementary visited Beachside Elementary for a clap out.

Report: Local metro area is ‘deadly’ for pedestrians

Smart Growth America’s Dangerous by Design report

placed the DeltonaDaytona BeachOrmond Beach metro area as fifth most dangerous in the U.S.

JARLEENE

ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

How bad are our roads for pedestrians?

According to Smart Growth America, the answer is deadly. The organization’s Dangerous by Design 2024 report — which ranks the largest 101 metro areas by pedestrian fatalities — found that the Deltona-Daytona BeachOrmond Beach metro area remains one of most dangerous in the U.S. The report, released on Thursday, May 30, found that 82% of all metro areas have gotten more deadly over time.

Despite this, numbers in the local metro area have improved slightly. The Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach metro area was ranked as the deadliest in the country in Smart Growth America’s 2022 report, with an average of 4.25 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people a year. Now further down the list — and tied for fifth most deadly with Baton Rouge, Louisiana — the local metro area is averaging 3.96 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people. A total of 134 pedestrians died between 2018 and 2022, but that is still an increase from the 107 pedestrian deaths reported from 2013 to 2017.

“The number of people hit by a vehicle and killed while walking has surged by 57% in a decade,” said Beth Osborne, vice president of Transportation and Thriving Communities at Smart Growth America in a press release. “It’s a 40-year high and has gone from bad to worse in most places. If you compare the most deadly places for pedestrians in our 2009 report, today dozens of metro areas are far more dangerous, surpassing previous tragic highs.”

In 2022, the most recent year with complete federal data, 7,522 pedestrians killed, marking a 40-year high, Smart Growth America reports. In 2013, 4,779 deaths were reported. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control, which helps fund the Dangerous by Design report, documented 137,325 visits to the emergency room for pedestrian injuries between 2021 and 2023.

“The only way to truly stop this epidemic is to make safety improvements in road design,” Smart Growth America’s press release states. “Roads are often designed to

prioritize speed for vehicles rather than safety. Crosswalks are regularly missing or too far apart, intersections are difficult to cross on foot, and many turn lanes encourage going around corners quickly, which can pose a hazard. Many places people regularly walk have zero sidewalks.”

‘A

LIST NOBODY WANTS TO BE ON’

From 2019 to 2023, there have been 119 pedestrian deaths reported in Volusia County, according to data provided to the Observer. Of those, nine happened within the city of Ormond Beach.

“I’m disappointed to see us on the list,” Ormond Beach

Mayor Bill Partington said. “Obviously, it’s a list nobody wants to be on.”

However, since becoming aware of the issue, Partington said the city has been working with the Florida Department of Transportation and the Transportation Planning Organization to implement pedestrian safety projects in the city.

Of the nine deaths reported since 2019, four occurred that year and two in 2020. Only one pedestrian death was reported annually in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

“We’re making progress and I think the numbers bear that out,” Partington said. “But of course, the target is zero, because no death is acceptable.”

Zero is at least one more year away; On Jan. 29, a 71-yearold woman was killed by a car while crossing A1A at 100 S. Atlantic Ave.

At the time, FDOT had recently begun a $4 million crosswalk project in that area. Now completed, eight midblock crossings were added to A1A from Granada Boulevard to Milsap Road and the speed limit was lowered from 35 mph to 30 mph. One of the planned crosswalks, the one at Bosarvey Drive, was constructed just feet away from where the woman was killed.

Currently, FDOT is working on a $9.2 million road safety project that will narrow Granada Boulevard travel lanes in the downtown — not including the bridge. The project, which spans from U.S. 1 to A1A, is aimed to encourage slower driving speeds. A new mid-block pedestrian crossing is also being added between Vining Court and Bovard Avenue.

FDOT is also planning to start construction this fall on a pedestrian safety project on A1A from Granada Boulevard to Roberta Road in Ormondby-the-Sea.

Five other projects, including safety improvements for Nova Road between Granada Boulevard and U.S. 1, are currently in a design phase. That one is a critical project, the mayor said.

“When you have more than four lanes people feel ... like they can go as fast as they want, and it creates a dangerous situation,” Partington said. “And there are people who try to cross to get to The Trails Shopping Center and it just creates conflict points where you’re going to have problems if we can’t figure out a way to make it safer for people.”

TARGET ZERO

Aggressive and distracted driving, and speeding, are all contributing factors to pedestrian deaths, Partington said.

FDOT’s Target Zero initiative aims to reduce the number of transportation-related serious injuries and deaths across Florida to zero, according to the FDOT website. On average, eight people are killed and 49 are injured on Florida’s roads daily.

People’s mentality on driving matters just as much as safety projects, Partington said.

going to end up with crashes and deaths,” he said.

The reason for narrowing lanes and reducing speed limits is to create a safer environment for both drivers and pedestrians, Partington said.

“Both the driver and the pedestrian share a responsibility to make the entire transportation mobility system safer, and so each one has to do their part,” Partington said.

“For the driver, they need to slow down and be more aware of their surroundings, and then for the pedestrian, they need to make sure they use marked crosswalks and they also need to raise their awareness so that they’re being as [safe] as possible, and that’s the only way we’re ever going to make progress and getting to zero, which is the goal.”

The Observer reached out to FDOT for comment, but did not receive responses to its questions in time for publication.

Volusia could seek body camera law amendment

The County Council directed staff to pursue legislative action that would allow code enforcement officers to record operations.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Volusia County could initiate an amendment to state law to allow code enforcement officers to use body cameras.

The County Council voted 6-0 on Tuesday, June 4, to direct staff to pursue legislative action that would allow for code enforcement officers to record operations using these cameras. Councilman Matt Reinhart was absent from the meeting.

Florida is a two-party consent state, meaning that all involved must consent to a conversation being recorded. Only law enforcement officers are exempt.

Clay Ervin, county director of Growth and Resource Management, said that failure to get consent for a recording by a code enforcement officer, if body cameras were pursued, may lead to a third degree felony and personal liability in case of a lawsuit.

“We agree that the body worn cameras do provide our code enforcement officers with a valuable tool,” Ervin said. “... At the same point, we want to make sure that we’re able to operate within the confines of what state law allows without putting our officers at personal risk as well.”

A change to state law, Ervin said, could also be extended to

Animal Control officers. Councilman David Santiago said the risks to the employee are too high to pursue body cameras without a change to state law.

“I love the idea,” Santiago said. “There is just a bridge too far for me to cross to put our employees in that liability.”

County Council Chair Jeff Brower said body cameras would act as a good measure of protection for county employees and the public. He was in favor of pursuing it both at the local level and as a legislative change.

A big question for him, he said, is cost.

“How much does it cost to store all this (the videos)?” Brower said. “Can you put it on a hard drive? Ca you put it on a memory stick?” Public record retention laws for law enforcement body camera footage allows for videos to be deleted as soon as 90 days later, in some cases, according to the county. Code enforcement records, however, must be kept for five years after the case is closed.

“This is problematic and unless we get permission — a roadmap, a roadway — from the state legislature, I’m out on this,” Councilman Troy Kent said.

“You can design as much safety into things as possible, but if the mentality behind it is, ‘I’m going to to speed to get where I need to go as quickly as humanly possible,’ you’re still

People cross A1A using a new crosswalk by FDOT at Rockefeller Drive. Courtesy photo

COPS CORNER

Boulevard, Ormond Beach Drunk person. A 65-year-old Ormond Beach man was so drunk, he fell asleep several times on the ground in front of a local restaurant, leading to police intervention.

The man, who had not purchased alcohol from the restaurant, had been on the property for a few hours, the property manager told police upon the officer’s arrival. The man had also urinated on the side of the building, according to his arrest report. He was unable to answer police’s questions; he told officers the wrong date, that there were 25 quarters in a dollar and that the president of the U.S. was a local police officer, according to the report. He was transported to the hospital and issued a trespass warning.

MAY 24

REPEAT OFFENDER

10:53 a.m. — 1400 block of West Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach Loitering or prowling. Police arrested a 38-year-old Miami man who was seen opening, and attempting to open, doors of cars parked at a local fast food restaurant lot.

When officers arrived, and asked the man to identify himself, the man said that law enforcement was harassing him again — and that he had just gone “through all this” the other day, according to his arrest report. The man denied opening any car doors and said he was only at the restaurant to get his morning coffee and cigarettes. He had neither on his person, the report states.

Police spoke with the man’s

friend, who had driven to the location in a separate vehicle and parked at the other end of the lot. The friend said they couldn’t park next to each other due to the man’s allergies. The man was taken to jail and trespassed from the shopping plaza.

MAY 29

UNBE-LEAF-ABLE

9:05 p.m. — First block of Big Buck Trail, Ormond Beach Vandalism. One potted palm. Two neighbors. An ongoing feud.

Police were dispatched to a local neighborhood after a 78-year-old Ormond Beach woman reported that she suspected her 83-year-old neighbor had trimmed her potted palm plant without permission, resulting in $56 of damage, according to an incident report. The woman said her neighbor has been “aggressively” doing random acts to their shared planter and intimidating her since she moved in. However, the officer noted that the woman couldn’t give concrete examples of this, other than her neighbor standing with crossed arms and staring at her in passing from their respective yards.

The woman told police other neighbors had complained about his behavior in the past as well.

Police spoke with the neighbor, who said there have been issues with the woman since she moved in, and, that he’s made numerous complaints to the homeowner’s association. He denied trimming the potted palm.

The woman wished to press charges, but police found criminal charges to be unfounded. They did issue the neighbor a trespass warning at the woman’s request.

JUNE 2

WATER FUN

9:31 p.m. — 1200 block of Palm Coast Parkway Southwest, Flagler County

Battery. A homeless man was arrested after he used a water gun to spray a woman in the face outside of a grocery store.

The woman told a Sheriff’s Office deputy that she and her husband were leaving, driving through the shopping plaza in their car, according to an arrest report. She was in the passenger seat with her window down when the suspect aimed a water gun at her open window and sprayed her in the face.

She and her husband both told the deputy that the suspect began laughing at them, and the woman said her eyes began to sting as well. As the husband called dispatch to report the incident, he said that is when the suspect began to follow their car through the plaza, the report said.

The suspect told the deputy he was not intentionally aiming for the couple, but instead was spraying the water gun in the direction of a fire hydrant and did not see their car pass by. He told the deputy there was only water inside the toy, but the deputy suggested the woman get her eyes checked at the hospital just in case. The man was arrested.

JUNE 2

PERMANENTLY PARKED

10:20 a.m. — 2500 block of North State Street, Bunnell Trespass. A man temporarily staying at an RV park refused to leave.

A manager at the park told Sheriff’s Office deputies that the man had been creating arguments with his neighbors, according to the man’s arrest record. She said the office gave him until June 2 at 11 a.m. to leave the site.

The man refused and so the park manager had him trespassed. When deputies tried to force the man from his RV and the property, the man got in their faces and refused to leave, even sitting “weighing” himself down at his kitchen table. He was arrested.

BRIEFS

Ralph Carter Park fields to be regraded

Ralph Carter Park will be undergoing several enhancements to its fields beginning on June 3.

The upgrades will include regrading and sodding the fields, a Palm Coast press release said. The field upgrades are expected to be completed by late 2024.

Effective immediately, Ralph Carter Park’s field lights are set to turn off at 9 p.m. instead of 10 p.m. The basketball court and skate park lights will remain on until 10 p.m. and will remain open to the public as the the fields are regraded, the press release said.

Palm Coast man arrested for child pornography

A Palm Coast man has been arrested and charged with 10 counts of possessing child pornography after the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office was alerted via a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

James McGill, 33, was arrested on Thursday, May 30, after an investigation conducted by the FCSO Cyber Crimes/Internet Crimes Against Children Unit.

On Jan. 11 detectives served a search warrant at McGill’s home where he was interviewed and multiple electronics were seized. During the investigation, 10 electronic files of videos and photos were located that portrayed children in sexually exploitative situations. The victims were estimated to range from as young as 5 years of age to 11 years old.

McGill was taken into custody without incident by the FCSO Problem Area Crime Enforcement Unit and trans-

ported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. He is currently being held on $150,000 bail.

Volusia School Board candidate withdraws

A candidate for the Volusia County School Board District 4 seat has withdrawn from the race.

Daytona State College student Merrick Brunker, of Ormond-by-the-Sea, submitted a withdrawal letter to the Volusia County Supervisor of Elections on May 7.

“After careful consideration, I believe this is the best decision moving forward,” Brunker wrote in the letter. “I want to express my gratitude for the assistance I have received from the Supervisor of Elections office along the way.”

Brunker had filed to run for the District 4 seat on March 20. The Ormond Beach Observer reached out to him for comment regarding his withdrawal, but did not hear back in time for publication.

Three candidates remain active in the race: Incumbent Volusia County School Board member Carl Persis, Pine Trail Elementary art teacher Sarah Marzilli and former lobbyist Donna Brosemer.

Qualifying for the 2024 elections runs from noon, June 10 to noon, June 14.

Two arrested in impersonation phone scam

On Thursday, May 30, the Bunnell Police Department and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men in connection with a fraud scheme involving phone calls impersonating an FCSO employee. The agencies are working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate multiple scam calls from the same day and are seeking additional

victims. Throughout May 30, FCSO received multiple reports of scam calls impersonating an agency employee. The callers claimed to be Sgt. Miley — a real FCSO employee — and told victims they had an active warrant for their arrest, but that their arrest could be prevented by making a payment.

Through investigative means, Shawn Dufeal, 25, and Jameil LaBennett, 28, were arrested outside the Flagler County Government Center in connection with the fraud scheme.

Woman jailed for car theft attempt in Ormond Ormond Beach Police arrested a 36-year-old Jacksonville woman on Saturday, June 1, after she tried to steal an elderly couple’s car by force at an Ormond Beach gas station. Police report that Marvette Perry pushed a 74-year-old Virginia man from his car after he parked at the gas station to use the restroom at around 10:48 a.m. at the Exxon gas station at 1622 N. U.S. 1. Perry got in the driver seat of the victim’s car — with the victim’s 76-year-old wife still inside — and the victim held on to her leg until police arrived.

When police arrived, the victim was still preventing Perry’s escape, according to a press release. One of the witnesses also drew his firearm and held her at gunpoint until he confirmed Perry was not armed, at which point he lowered his gun; police report he continued to stand by the scene until officers arrived. The elderly couple was not injured.

Perry was charged with several offenses, including carjacking, burglary with assault and resisting and officer, OBPD stated.

Lack of lighting at Hunters Ridge causes concerns

The Flagler County Commission OK’d lit signage for a roundabout with a split vote.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

A lack of lighting at a roundabout on Airport Road and Hunter’s Ridge Boulevard caused some debate about whether adding lit signage to the dark area would be safe.

At its June 3 meeting, the Flagler County Commission approved two separate applications relating to the Hunter’s Ridge development known as Ormond Station in south Flagler County. One of the applications was approval for a lit sign at a roundabout leading into the Ormond Station developments.

“It’s a very dark, very winding road out there,” Commissioner Leann Pennington said.

“... It’s really, really bad.”

The request is for two lit signs reading “Ormond Station” at the roundabout, one facing east on Airport Road and one facing west. The roundabout has a circular wall in the center which surrounds a small pond.

Commission Chair Andy Dance said the roundabout was not the appropriate location for signage and said he felt it could cause a distraction for drivers. Pennington presented images of a recent crash at the roundabout that allegedly happened recently where a driver crashed into the roundabout’s walls. The Observer was not able to find details about the crash in time for this publication.

“I would urge that we get some proper lighting out there, not just the sign,” Dance said.

DR Horton Forward Planner Sydney Kendrick said that, while the lighting on the signs is not meant as a sole solution to the lack of lighting in the area, their team does believe the lighting will help prevent accidents in the future.

Commissioner Greg Hansen agreed, pointing out that the signage lighting would be placed where roads are meeting the roundabout.

“So they’re going to see the wall. They’re not going to be able to miss that,” he said.

The commission approved the signage 3-2, with Dance and Pennington dissenting.

The commission also unanimously approved the final plat application for the second phase of Ormond Station’s Gardenside.

Gardenside is located on Airport Road, west of the Hunter’s Ridge Boulevard roundabout and extension.

Phase 1 of the development, which is underway, will have 76 single-family homes on 29 acres. Phase 2 of Gardenside, if approved by the commission, will add an additional 89 homes on 39 acres on the north side of Phase 1.

The plat for the 89 homes outlines a mixture of different sized lots, ranging from .21 acres and .10 acres.

Jake Beren, owner of US Capital Alliance, said the different sized lots allows for multiple home design models for each lot size.

“It looks more like a fully functional, real community,”

Beren said. “I think that they [DR Horton] are looking to make this a really nice community.”

Residents urged to prepare for active hurricane season

The National Hurricane Center has predicted between 17 and 25 named storms between June 1 and Nov. 30.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Hurricane season is here and the National Hurricane Center has predicted between 17 and 25 named storms, four to seven of which could become major hurricanes.

A major hurricane is a Category 3, a hurricane that reaches above 110 mile-per-

hour winds. Hurricane season officially kicked off on June 1 and goes through Nov. 30, and Volusia and Flagler counties are urging residents to prepare for storms early.

The increased activity is because of the change in sea surface temperatures, according to a presentation Flagler County Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord gave to the Flagler County Commission on May 20.

In 2023, there were 19 named storms, but 96% of all major hurricanes impact between mid-August and mid-October.

Sea surface temperatures are predicted to be above average this summer, Lord said, which fuels hurricanes.

QUALIFYING SALES TAX HOLIDAY ITEMS

SELLING FOR $10 OR LESS

Wet dog or cat food if sold individually or the equivalent if sold in a box or case

SELLING FOR $15 OR LESS

Manual can openers; collapsible or travel-sized food or water bowls for pets; cat litter pans; pet waste disposal bags; hamster or rabbit substrate.

SELLING FOR $20 OR LESS

Reusable ice packs; leashes, collars, and muzzles for pets; pet pads

SELLING FOR $25 OR LESS Cat litter weighing 25 or fewer pounds

SELLING FOR $40 OR LESS Candles; flashlights; lanterns; pet beds.

SELLING FOR $50 OR LESS

Portable self-powered radios, two-way radios, or weatherband radios; gas or diesel fuel tanks; batteries, includ-

ing rechargeable batteries, listed sizes only — a AA-cell, AAA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt, 9-volt.

SELLING FOR $60 OR LESS

Nonelectric food storage coolers; portable power banks

SELLING FOR $70 OR LESS

Smoke detectors or smoke alarms; fire extinguishers; carbon monoxide detectors

SELLING FOR $100 OR LESS

Tarpaulins or other flexible waterproof sheeting; ground anchor systems; portable pet kennels and carriers; ratchet straps; tie-down kits; dry dog or cat food weighing less than 50 pounds.

SELLING FOR $3,000 OR LESS

Portable generators used to provide light or communications or to preserve food in a power outage.

FOR FLAGLER COUNTY RESIDENTS

Flagler residents are urged to sign up for its emergency alert system, AlertFlagler. Residents can go to flaglercounty. gov/emergency to register their phone number for the alert system or call the Emergency Management at 386-313-4200 during normal business hours for assistance registering.

In the fall of 2023, the county changed simplified the county’s evacuation zones into two primary evacuation zones: one along the shore line over to the east side of Interstate 95, and one in the southwest corner of Flagler County, near the lakes. Residents can check where their evacuation zone is by going to the flaglercounty.gov/ emergency website and clicking on the link titled “Hurricane Evacuation Zones” and then searching their address.

“It’s definitely a concern for us this year,” he said.

A predicted increase in the amount of dust coming from the Sahara Desert in Africa could counteract some of the predicted storm activity, he said, as well as if there are any volcanic eruptions in Central America. Lord said it is something to watch as the hurricane season progresses.

The state of Florida has implemented a two-week sales tax holiday in order to help residents prepare for the hurricane season ahead. It began on June 1 and will end on June 14, according to a Fla-

FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY RESIDENTS

Residents are requested to download the Volusia County Emergency Preparedness app through either the Google Play store or the IPhone App Store on their phones, according to a Volusia County press release. The app will contain weather alerts, current conditions, preparedness checklists, links to county sites, shelter locations and statuses and more. Residents can also register for AlertVolusia online by inputting their phone number or calling Volusia County Emergency Management at 386-258-4088 for assistance. Residents can go to www. volusia.org/emergency or call Volusia County Emergency Management at 386-254-1500 for more information on disaster preparedness.

gler County press release. A second sales tax holiday will be held at the peak of hurricane season, from Aug. 24 to Sept. 6.

“As with food, water, and medications, we recommend having seven days’ worth of supplies at the ready — not just for hurricanes, but all emergencies,” Lord said. “Use this sales tax holiday to buy essentials as your first step in preparedness.”

According to information from both counties, residents should decide early on where they will go if an evacuation order is given.

Ormond teen pushes through health complications to graduate

Eli Havens has been hospitalized since April 12. He didn’t let that stop him from obtaining his high school diploma.

JARLEENE ALMENAS

EDITOR

MANAGING

A total of 365 Seabreeze High School grads crossed the stage at the Ocean Center on May 24. For one Sandcrab, the journey to experiencing that milestone involved an ambulance and medical team from the Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital. Eli Havens has been battling a health complication for the past two months due to his Crohn’s Disease, which he was first diagnosed with at age 10. On April 12, Havens was

experiencing a 105-degree fever, believed at first to be caused by the flu, when his mom decided to take him to the emergency room. Once at the hospital, doctors performed a chest X-ray and decided to send him to Arnold Palmer, where they discovered he had bowel perforations because of the type of Chron’s he has. The perforations, his mother Andrea Bussell said, led to sepsis and infected his liver.

In the first week he spent in the hospital, his kidneys also started shutting down, requiring him to go on dialysis.

“He spent three weeks in the ICU,” Bussell said. “But the entire time, as long as he was able to, he focused on trying to get his schoolwork done online.”

Because Havens really wanted to cross that stage with his fellow classmates. He had even done physical therapy at the hospital to be able to

build up enough strength and stamina for the ceremony.

He spent his 18th birthday and prom night at the hospital. Bussell said she decorated his room for his birthday and they celebrated with a little bit of ice cream cake. The hospital’s staff signed a big posted board for him.

As graduation approached, the family asked his doctors if it would be a possibility for him to attend the ceremony. They initially didn’t know if he would be discharged in time — Haven’s health complications were being tackled on a day by day basis.

Three weeks before the ceremony, doctors presented Havens and Bussell with two options: If his health improved enough, they could grant Havens a day pass for his mom to take him to graduation, or, they could arrange a hospital transport team to escort him personally.

“Ironically, it was the same trans-

port team that transported him here to the hospital that night on [April 12],” Bussell said. “They transported him to the Ocean Center, sat there during the ceremony and then transported him back here to the hospital. When he came back that night, they had decorated his room congratulating him ... for his graduation.”

Havens couldn’t walk on his own across that stage, but his brother Caleb pushed him in a wheelchair. He stood to receive his diploma, and the entire crowd clapped, Bussell recalled.

“I get very emotional thinking about it, there and because nobody — none of his classmates, none of his friends, none of the parents, nobody — knew what all he’d gone through to that point, to be able to even still be here with us and be able to participate with graduation.”

Seabreeze High School Principal Tucker Harris said he loved watched Havens cross that stage.

“I loved seeing his grit and resilience,” he said. “It was honorable to see him come across there and his brother pushing him.”

It’s an example of the culture of the school, he said — that Havens, despite all he’d gone through — wanted to be there.

“To me as principal, that’s the most profound thing,” Harris said.

In a statement to the Observer , Havens said that he wanted to thank the transport team for “helping to make it special for him,” as well as to his doctor, Dr. Lawrence Spack, and the critical care nurses and team for allowing him to go.

Havens was also thankful for his teacher, Tonya Wilhelm, for helping him have access to his schoolwork while in the hospital.

Havens’ counselor John Conforti, Seabreeze Assistant Principal Stinamay Lagrotta and Harris also were supportive, Bussell said.

“They were all just amazed and astounded that, being as sick as he was, he managed to be able to get his schoolwork done while being in the hospital, so that he could push forward to graduate,” Bussell said.

UNF MedNexus expands programs in Palm Coast

UNF MedNexus in Palm Coast’s Town Center is adding three innovative academic programs, the University of North Florida announced. MedNexus is a UNF initiative that offers learning and research experiences to prepare future healthcare providers and leaders.

The new programs include: „ Master of Science in Nursing Leadership and Administration, a program for nurses who want to advance their administrative careers to become nurse managers, directors of nursing or chief nursing officers. „ Master of Science in Health Informatics. In an era where data plays a crucial role in healthcare decisionmaking, this program prepares students to use information technology to improve patient outcomes and streamline healthcare delivery. Jobs in this field are expected to grow by 22% in the next 10 years.

„ Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This is an online program for RNs to further their education and expand their career opportunities by earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

“The expansion of UNF MedNexus in Palm Coast is a significant milestone for our city,” Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin said in a press release. “These innovative programs will not only enhance educational opportunities for our residents but also address critical workforce needs in the healthcare sector, fostering a stronger, healthier community.”

Dr. Julie Merten, associate dean of UNF MedNexus, expressed her enthusiasm for the launch of these new programs.

“We are excited to expand our academic offerings in Palm Coast and provide working professionals with the opportunity to pursue careers at the forefront of healthcare innovation,” Merten said in the press release. “These programs reflect our commitment to preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals to address the evolving needs of our communities.”

Seabreeze Principal Tucker Harris presents Eli Havens with his diploma as his older brother Caleb supports him on stage during the commencement exercises at the Ocean Center. Photo by Michele Meyers

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

A house in Sea Colony tops Flagler sales list

Ahouse in Sea Colony was the top real estate transaction for April 11-17 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. Bryan and Debbie Perfetti, of Palmetto, sold 46 Sea Vista Drive to John Andrew Breuer and Amy Padgett Breuer, of Fayetteville, New York, for $1,920,000. Built in 1987, the house is a 3/3 and has a fireplace, an elevator and 2,600 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $810,000.

FLAGLER BEACH

Dolphin Cove

Condos John and Denise Burgers, of Palm Coast, sold 200 Ocean Crest Drive, Unit 241, to Donald and Elizabeth Plateroti, of Ponte Vedra Beach, for $1,015,000. Built in 2007, the condo is a 3/3.5 and has 2,246 square feet. It sold in 2011 for $470,000.

George and Lois Cornell, as trustees, sold 42 Club House Drive, Unit 205, to Symeon and Morfydd Gum, of Richfield, Ohio, for $158,000. Built in 1977, the condo is a 2/2 and has 986 square feet. It sold in 2003 for $89,900.

Isidore and Elizabeth Tabyanan, of Bemidji, Minnesota, sold 4600 East Moody Blvd., Unit 12C, to Emiliano Robles, Lilliam Robles, Miguel Angel Robles Riviera and Angeles Robles Rodriguez, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for $170,000. Built in 2005, the condo is a 2/2 and has 951 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $150,000.

Edward Scott Babrich and Mary Ann Babrich, of Inverness, sold 201 North 19th St. to Alex Michael Parker and Kara Hewitt Parker, of Gainesville, for $670,000. Built in 2015, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,731 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $455,000.

PALM COAST

Country Club Cove

Sheila Hasday, as trustee, sold 31 Cheyenne Court to Michele Marie Blakeman, of Davie, for $675,000. Built in 1981, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace, a pool, a boat dock and 2,216 square feet.

Cypress Knoll

Robert Campbell and Deborah Askin, of Palm Coast, sold 42 Edge Lane to Keith Dylan Lederman, Diana Lederman and Thomas Lederman, of Palm Coast, for $335,000. Built in 2005, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,868 square feet. It sold in 2015 for $212,500.

Grand Haven 7 Grandview LLC, of Greenwich, Connecticut, sold 7 Grandview Drive to Glenn and Joanne Fairchild, of Palm Coast, for $540,000. Built in 2001, the house is a 4/3 and has two half baths, a pool, a hot tub, a fireplace and 3,958 square feet. It sold in 2002 for $413,000.

Lehigh Woods Eduard Volkov, a trustee, sold 27 Renfro Lane to Bonn Michelle V Bacus and Arvic Rhoid Guleng Roda, of Palm Coast, for $290,000. Built in 2003, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,546 square feet. It sold in 2004 for $175,000.

Los Lagos

Matanzas Shores

Domenico Guglielmo Cella and Lisa Morales, of Miami, sold 13 Los Lagos Blvd. to Arthur and Eleanor Foss, of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, for $500,000. Built in 2022, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,845 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $520,000.

Pine Lakes

John and Floescent Wright, as trustees, sold 2 Windover Place to Louise Martling and Keith Hertzog, of Palm Coast, for $390,000. Built in 1999, the house is a 3/2.5 and has 2,752 square feet. It sold in 2001 for $166,000.

Rivergate Robert and Patricia Thomasey, as trustees, sold 114 Raintree Circle to Nancy Lagana, of Palm Coast, for $368,000. Built in 2006, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,752 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $226,500.

Toby Tobin, of gotoby.com, contributed to this report.

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Luggin

Riverside Drive home sells for $1.15 million

Ahouse in Ormond Shores was the top real estate transaction for April 21-27 in Ormond Beach and Ormond-by-the-Sea. Carl Shoemaker and Elizabeth Ann Shoemaker, of Ormond Beach, sold 544 Riverside Drive to Andrew and Andrea Branoff, of Ormond Beach, for $1,150,000. Built in 1951, the house is a 3/3 and has a pool, two fireplaces and 2,454 square feet. It sold in 2000 for $405,000.

ALEXIS MILLER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ORMOND BEACH

Cameo Point

Sandra Martin, of Ormond Beach, sold 18 Cameo Circle to Bradley and Rachel Kubin, of Sanford, for $1,050,000. Built in 1965, the house is a 3/2 and has a boathouse, a dock and 2,175 square feet. It sold in 1984 for $175,000.

Hunters Ridge

Mark and Nicole Dowd, of Wasilla, Arkansas, sold 83 Pergola Place to Thomas Bowles and William Addonizio, of Ormond Beach, for $440,000. Built in 2017, the house is a 4/2.5 and has 2,503 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $300,000.

JoAnn and Marcus Buckley, as co-trustees, sold 4 Lonetree Look to Chet Anthony and Amy Louise Anthony, of Ormond Beach, for $370,000. Built in 1995, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,777 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $219,000.

Northbrook

Kathleen Moore, of Chuluota, sold 1116 Northside Drive to Mary Waters, of Ormond Beach, for $365,000. Built in 1980, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,496 square feet. It sold in 2005 for $255,000.

Samuel and Sharon Mize, of Ormond Beach, sold 1115 Wandering Oaks Drive to Stephen Keen, of Ormond Beach, for $502,000. Built in 1983, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, a hot tub, a fireplace and 1,849 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $349,000.

Plantation Bay

Varian Kimbro Doheny, as trustee, sold 1022 Hampstead Lane to Patrick and Tonyia Avery, of Orland Park, Illinois, for $839,000. Built in 2002, the house is a 4/3.5 and has a pool, a hot tub, a fireplace and 3,009 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $490,000.

River Oaks Joshua Roberts, of Ormond Beach, sold 231 River Vale Lane to Hari Prasad Adhikari

and Binash Adhikari, of Ormond Beach, for $405,000. Built in 2018, the house is a 4/2 and has 2,054 square feet. It sold in 2019 for $275,000.

Standish Shores

William and Jenny Corso, of Ormond Beach, sold 213 Standish Drive to Russell Mathews, of Ormond Beach, for $489,000. Built in 1960, the house is a 2/2 and has a fireplace and 1,362 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $399,000.

Tropical Mobile Home Village Daniel Kidder, of Daytona Beach, sold 1311 Myrtle Jo Drive to Orlando Dole and Rebecca Maiden Dole, of New York, New York, for $139,900. Built in 1983, the house is a 2/2 and has 960 square feet. It sold in 2015 for $31,000.

ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA

Ocean Breeze

Janet and Robert Ecochardt, of Ormond Beach, sold 19 San Jose Circle to Janelle and Justen Susuras, of Broomfield, Colorado, for $429,900. Built in 1969, the house is a 2/2 and has a pool and 1,266 square feet. It sold in 2023 for $400,000.

Seabridge

Cynthia Ellen Gauntz and Patrick Andrew Gauntz, of Flagler Beach, sold 23 West Sea Harbor Drive to Steven and Stephanie Holliday, of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, for $570,000. Built in 1979, the house is a 3/3 and has a pool and 1,662 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $475,000.

John Adams, of Adams, Cameron & Co. Realtors, contributed to this report.

Wire

PALM COAST

ORMOND BEACH

LETTERS

Elections are coming

Dear Editor:

Primary Election Day is Aug. 20, but preparing for them happens sooner, if you wish to participate. Early in-person voting is available for a week, three days prior to Election Day at a few various county buildings throughout Volusia. If you plan on voting by mail, deadline to request a ballot is Aug. 8. A

recent change in law implemented a new request schedule. A request to receive a vote-by-mail ballot covers all elections from the date a request was submitted through the end of the calendar year for the next ensuing regularly scheduled general election. Change of voter registration deadline is July 22. (All registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, can vote in the primary election in August for all nonpartisan seat elections). It is also qualifying time for candidates for many city, county

Make yourself at home

and state seat elections. Deadline to qualify is Friday June 14 at noon. If you wish to run for office, now is the time to contact respective government elections offices to seek information of requirements. Most candidates will want to contact Volusia Division of Elections office. They can be reached online at www. VolusiaElections.gov or by phone 386-736-5930 or you can visit the elections office at 1750 S. Woodland Blvd in DeLand. I want to thank ahead of time all of the candidates for taking time

Blissful innocence of a leaking spigot

BRIAN MCMILLAN PUBLISHER

I was walking out of my bedroom the other day when I heard a low hissing sound: Someone had left the water on outside.

I quickly learned that my two youngest children, 9-year-old Kennedy and 6-year-old Luke, had invited a friend over that day. The three of them had been summer-

vacation resourceful: They wanted to play in the water, so they found the hose, attached it to the spigot all by themselves, and then, on the other end, they screwed on the nozzle so they could create rainbows and run through the spray. But, when they were done, apparently they forgot to turn off the hose.

It’s all fun and games until someone’s water bill gets hurt.

I rushed outside, peeked around the corner of the house, and I saw that the connection between the hose and the spigot was, shall we say, incomplete. The spray was intense, like a mushroom cloud, an it had going for hours. I couldn’t imagine much water pressure had ever made it through the hose to the spray nozzle.

Apparently, Kennedy and Luke’s friend had approved of the connection, despite the leaking spray.

“She said that’s normal,” Luke recalled, trying to sound wise and helpful.

“Actually, it’s not,” I said.

I felt that parental twinge of guilt for not having been there to play with them — but also that parental twinge of annoyance that here was yet another unnecessary problem to be dealt with.

At my urging, Luke, having long since gotten dressed in dry clothes, ran to the spigot and valiantly tried to turn it off. With his eyes squinting into the spray, he twisted the spigot valve, like a ship captain at the helm of a tiny wheel in a storm.

I realized he was turning it the

out of their lives to run for office and their willingness to serve to protect the rights of “We The People” and also all voters who exercise their right to voice change in their government at the ballot booth.

JOE HANNOUSH Ormond Beach

Send letters up to 400 words to Jarleene@observerlocalnews.com.

wrong way. “Turn it toward the street!” I shouted.

I imagined waves crashing onboard, and Luke in a drab, stiff raincoat, shouting back lines of dialogue that had no chance of being understood without subtitles. He was unsuccessful. He ran back to dry ground, out of the storm.

Kennedy tried next, and she was able to turn the tiny wheel enough to close the valve. The water was finally off. All was now quiet. Water dripped from noses and eyelashes.

The adventure was over.

In the days since, I have thought about Luke’s erroneous assessment of the leak: “That’s normal.” Although it had led to water being wasted, I saw that their ignorance — I’ll call it innocence — also had provided enough space for something to be created: They had purchased time, a memory of the three of them, blissfully united, the hose wildly spraying forever, as they giggled in the misty rainbows, a great summer day to remember.

Publisher Brian McMillan, brian@observerlocalnews.com

Managing Editor Jarleene Almenas, jarleene@observerlocalnews.com

Associate Editor Brent Woronoff, brent@observerlocalnews.com

Staff Writer Sierra Williams, sierra@observerlocalnews.com

Design Manager Hailey McMillan, hailey@observerlocalnews.com

Director of Engagement Kaitlyn Stier, kstier@observerlocalnews.com

Office Coordinator Kay Raymond, Kay@observerlocalnews.com

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Local sites to participate in Volusia Summer Food Service Program

Hunger doesn’t take a summer break. To help parents feed their kids while school is out, Volusia County’s Summer Food Service Program will provide free breakfast and lunch meals for children and teens 18 and under from June 3 through Aug. 9. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides nutritionally balanced meals during summer break when schools are closed. Meals will be served Monday through Friday, unless otherwise indicated. All sites will be closed on July 4 in observance of Independence Day. Children must consume their meals on site. The following sites in Ormond Beach will participate in the program:

„ Camp Destiny, 1060 W. Granada Blvd. (June 3 through July 19; closed July 5) — Breakfast: 8-8:30 a.m.; lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

„ Emmanuel International Church, 54 S. Ridgewood Ave. (June 3 through Aug 2) — Lunch: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

„ Nova Community Center, 440 N. Nova Road (June 17 through July 26) — Breakfast: 9 to 10 a.m.; lunch: 12:30- 1:30 p.m.

„ Ormond Beach Regional Library, 30 S. Beach St. (June 3 through Aug.

9) — Breakfast: 9-10 a.m.; lunch: 12-1 p.m.

„ South Ormond Neighborhood Center, 176 Division Ave. (June 10 through Aug. 2) — Breakfast: 9-10 a.m.; lunch: 12-1 p.m.

„ YMCA Ormond Beach, 500 Sterthaus Drive (June 3 through Aug 9) — Breakfast: 8-9:30 a.m.; lunch: 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

The Halifax Area Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America held its third annual Outstanding Support to Veterans award luncheon on May 23, recognizing On Time Pkgs LLC and VITAS Healthcare.

The luncheon was held at the Halifax River Yacht Club. The Outstanding Support to Veterans award is

OMAM to open ‘Wings of Splendor’ exhibit

A new exhibition at Ormond Memorial Art Museum celebrates summer by featuring the works of Tampa artist John Costin.

The exhibit, “Wings of Splendor,” is composed of Costin’s detailed bird portraits, created through multi-plate etching which are then individually hand-painted. This solo exhibition, according to a press release, showcases 50 of his works and a small etching press.

Costin has been a professional artist since 1979. One of his goals, the press release states, “is to transform the traditional perception of birds in nature, ‘traditional realism,’ that people are most familiar with

presented annually to the local area company or organization making the most significant contribution to veterans and their families, according to a press release.

On Time Pkgs LLC in Daytona Beach is a veteran-owned Amazon Delivery Service Partner and provides employment and opportunities

and give it more of a contemporary familiarity.”

The exhibition will open on Thursday, June 6 and will run through Sept. 22. A free opening reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, June 6.

for veterans to apply their skillsets developed through military service.

The company was recognized in 2020 and 2021 as a recipient of the HIRE Vets Gold Medallion Award for medium businesses by the U.S. Secretary of Labor.

VITAS Healthcare provides hospice care both at home and on an

in-patient basis. It has hosted events for veterans such as Coffee with Comrades, Vietnam Veteran Welcome Home events, and supported veteran initiatives and developed training programs aimed to specifically help Vietnam veterans.

Lions attend convention, volunteer at fundraiser

Five Ormond-by-the-Sea Lions Club members recently traveled to Orlando to attend the 99th annual Multiple District Convention in May.

Lions Jean Cerullo, Bobbie Cheh, Aleta Dick, Greg Evans and Mary Yochum joined over 328 Lions who attended from across the state, according to a press release. During the Saturday General Session, Cheh was awarded Lion of the Year from the Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy Foundations.

Evans was awarded the Dr. Norma Callahan Visionary Award for his work with the foundations and re-

Pop Smoke K9 for Veterans, a nonprofit based in Ormond Beach, will host its first charity gala, “Battlefield to Bowties,” on Saturday, June 8. To be held from 6-10 p.m. at the Anderson Price Memorial Building at 42 N. Beach St., the fundraiser will honor veterans, particularly those who served in battle, for their transitional journey from military service to civilian life, a press release stated.

The organization — which provides K9s for local veterans with traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder and other neurologic disabilities — relies on donations and fundraising events to feed, foster, house and train service dogs.

Founder Elisha Perkins, a decorated retired Army lieutenant and former law enforcement officer, is lead trainer for the K9s.

ceived his Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow. Members enjoyed attending the many seminars offered and Cheh taught the incoming secretaries class. Third International Vice President Mark Lyon and his wife, Lyn, were the convention representatives from Connecticut.

Six OBTS Lions Club members and friends also volunteered to assist at the recent Family Renew Ice Cream Social. Cutting cakes, selling raffle tickets and dishing ice cream and toppings kept the members busy. The club also donated $250 to Family Renew.

The fundraiser will include dinner, dancing, inspiring stories and a silent auction, according to the press release.

The late Ed Manen, a highly decorated helicopter door gunner and co-pilot in Vietnam who was exposed to Agent Orange, recently died due to Parkinson’s Disease. He was a recipient of Molly, a trained Pop Smoke border collie.

“Molly was always at Ed’s side,” his widow Trudy said in the press release. “She would alert me to any change in Ed’s demeaner or movement. He relied on her, and he loved her.”

For additional information, ticket sales, contribution of auction gifts or donations, contact Trudy Manen at 973-865-2722 or tmanen@ popsmokek9forvets.org.

Members of the Halifax Area Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America and representatives of On Time Pkgs LLC and VITAS Healthcare.

Third International Vice President Mark Lyon, OBTS Lions Bobbie Cheh, Jacquie Tripp, Mary Yochum and Greg Evans. Courtesy photos

MOAA recognizes On Time Pkgs LLC and VITAS Healthcare at annual award luncheon

John Costin

Charity gala to support service dogs for veterans

Pop Smoke K9 For Veterans Founder Elisha Perkins and Tobey, Paul Lewis, Nadine Ruland, Jill Dempsey and Enoch, Paul Proctor, Ed and Trudy Manen with Molly. File photo by Jarleene Almenas

“Pensive Great Blue” by John Costin.

YOUR NEIGHBORS

A platinum anniversary

Couple celebrates 70 years of marriage at Paradise Pointe in Ormond Beach.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Jimmy Kirk says he knew his wife Mattie was the one “almost instantly.”

The year was 1952 and he was a college student at Virginia Tech. A cousin had encouraged him to go on a date with a girl from nearby Radford University. But, when Jimmy knocked on the dorm door, he didn’t find that girl. Mattie answered the door instead.

“I asked her what was she doing, and she said ‘Nothing,’” Jimmy recalled. “So I said, ‘Let’s walk the campus at Radford.’”

And they walked the campus

many times thereafter.

“You know, it’s so long ago now, I don’t know if we actually went on real dates or just walked the campus,” Mattie said.

That was the beginning of their love story. Two years later, on June 6, 1954, they got married in a small Methodist Church in Mattie’s hometown of Midland, Virginia.

The Kirks are now celebrating 70 years of marriage. They had four sons, one of whom died in a car crash, and love to spend time with their seven grandchildren. They have one great grandchild and another on the way.

Only 1% of all marriages last 70 years or longer, according

“We have our ups and downs but we sort them out ... Being married 70 years, you’ve gotta do a lot of give and take. And love. Number one is love.”

JIMMY KIRK

to statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kirks, who are living at Paradise Pointe Assisted Living in Ormond Beach until 94-year-old Jimmy recovers from a fractured right hip, moved to Daytona Beach after Jimmy retired from the Westinghouse Electric Corporation following a 32 year career. Jimmy also served in the U.S. Army for two years to help him fund his final year of college. Mattie, 88, worked in a credit union for 30 years.

Jimmy proposed in the hospital after Mattie had been in a car crash. She’d flown through the windshield.

“I don’t know where we were going,” Mattie said. “... I ended up in the hospital and I remember [Jimmy] coming to see me.”

She was shocked to see him,

she recalled. Her parents were there and they probably wondered who he was.

Jimmy came into the hospital with a plan.

“I thought, ‘I’d better marry this woman before she really gets hurt,’” Jimmy recalled with a laugh.

The key to a long and happy marriage? Compromise and love, the couple said.

“We have our ups and downs but we sort them out,” Jimmy said. “... Being married 70 years, you’ve gotta do a lot of give and take. And love. Number one is love.”

Reaching 70 years of marriage wasn’t something they thought about when they first got married, Mattie said. She said Jimmy just seemed to be the right person for her.

“We hope we have many years together,” Mattie said.

LOCAL EVENTS

FRIDAY, JUNE 7

MOVIES ON THE HALIFAX

When: 8:30 p.m.

Where: Rockefeller Gardens, 26 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach

Details: Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy a showing of “Men in Black: International,” rated PG-13. Movies are weather-sensitive. Call 386-6763216 for rainout information.

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

LOW-COST PET SHOT CLINIC

When: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Astro Skate, 251 N. U.S. 1, Ormond Beach

Details: Get your pet vaccinated at a lower cost. Heartworm prevention and flea control products will be available for purchase. All vaccinations are administered with a licensed veterinarian. No appointment needed. Clinic is open to everyone. Proceeds benefit abused animals. Call or text 748-8993 or visit spcavolusia.org

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12

AARP MEETING CHAPTER 1057

When: 10 a.m.

Where: Universalist Unitarian Church, 56 N. Halifax Drive, Ormond

Beach

Details: The meeting’s guest speaker will be Becky Parker, the executive director of Ormond Beach MainStreet. An optional $5 light lunch will follow. For more information, call President Jeff Boyle at 386-341-9013.

THURSDAY, JUNE 13

TIGER BAY CLUB OF VOLUSIA COUNTY MEETING

When: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Where: Halifax River Yacht Club, 331 S. Beach St., Daytona Beach

Details: Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis will speak at the June meeting of the Tiger Bay Club of Volusia County. The meeting will begin at noon. Guests are welcome with a reservation. Lunch costs $35 per person. Contact dconnors@ tigerbayclubvolusia.org.

DAYTONA STATE COLLEGE SUMMER JAZZ CONCERT

When: 7-9 p.m.

Where: News-Journal Center, 221 N. Beach St., Daytona Beach Details: Kickstart the summer with a jazz concert. Free event.

FRIDAY, JUNE 14

CELEBRATE AMERICA! A CONCERT FEATURING THE AMERICAN SIRENS When: 5-8 p.m.

Where: MetroHealth Stadium at Pictona, 1060 Ridgewood Ave., Holly Hill Details: Celebrate Flag Day with a concert by The American Sirens. This harmonic trio will sing classic patriotic songs, as well as modern hits with a vintage flair. Floor and bleacher seats are free. Box seats (includes four seats and a small table) are available for $20. Add a barbecue meal by The Kitchen at Pictona for $20. Meal tickets must be purchased in advance. Visit hollyhillevents.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15 REEL IN THE FUN FREE KIDS FISHING TOURNAMENT

When: 8-11 a.m.

Where: Neptune Avenue beach approach, Ormond Beach

Details: Celebrate Father’s Day weekend with a fishing tournament for kids ages 4-12. Check-in starts at 8 a.m. and the tournament starts at 9 a.m. Registration is open only to residents who live within incorporated Ormond Beach. Register online by June 12. Visit ormondbeach.org.

DAYTONA BEACH

JUNETEENTH FAMILY FESTIVAL

When: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: Cypress Park, 925 George W. Engram Blvd., Daytona Beach

Details: The 26th annual Daytona Beach Juneteenth Family Festiva will begin with a parade in the city’s historic midtown district, from Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard to George Engram Boulevard, at 10 a.m. After the parade, head to Cypress

Jimmy and Mattie Kirk on their wedding day (left) and through the years. Courtesy photos

Mattie and Jimmy Kirk will be celebrating 70 years of marriage on Thursday, June 6. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

High school and beyond

High school graduates have been all over the Observer’s pages the past two weeks. But what about the nontraditional students? Some were home schooled and didn’t walk across the stage — but they accomplished great things. This week, we asked on social media for submissions of photos from students we missed (including a few beyond high school). Congratulations to all the hard

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in

Leilani

Non Sequitur

Nancy

Mother Goose and Grimm

The Duplex

In the Bleachers

Cornered Ziggy

The Fusco Brothers

SPORTS

Swell idea

Her Turn Surf Festival provides a platform for women and girls

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Two years ago when Heather Tran was surfing in Flagler Beach one day, she noticed that half the surfers in the water were women. That gave her an idea. She decided to put on a local surfing contest exclusively for women and girls, and Her Turn Women’s Surf Festival was born.

The second annual Her Turn festival was held this past weekend with the kickoff party Friday, May 31, at Wadsworth Skateboard Park and the surfing contest at the Flagler Beach pier on Saturday, June 1.

Mother Nature cooperated with a beautiful, sunny day on Saturday as scores of surfers and spectators swarmed the beach. All of the vendors were women. All of the contestants were women and girls.

“We’re giving women a platform and showing little girls that it’s OK to do hard things,” Tran said. “Sports help women feel strong and empowered. That’s what the day is all about.”

And it only makes sense that Flagler Beach, the town where Frieda Zamba grew up, should host a women’s surf festival, Tran said.

Zamba, a four-time world surfing champion and one of the greatest women surfers of all time, now lives in Costa Rica, but is still very influential in the Flagler surfing community, Tran said.

“Being the home of Frieda Zamba, we should have a day all about us,” Tran said.

Most tournaments only have one or two female divisions, Tran said. The Her Turn contest had divisions for all levels.

Trans said it can be intimidating for women to paddle out with all men in the water. In this contest that was

not a worry.

There were prizes in several divisions. East Coast Acupuncture, owned by Lisa Sweeters, sponsored the Shortboard Pro Division with a $1,000 purse. Carla Cline’s Please Don’t Make Me Cross the Bridge t-shirts and accessories sponsored the Longboard Pro Division. Ohana Food Co. sponsored the Express Yourself: My Board, My Choice Division, in which competitors on longboards, shortboards and bodyboards all paddled out together with a $350 purse.

There were also longboard, shortboard and bodyboard open divisions and six age divisions from 10U (Future Division) to 45-plus (Goddess Division). The event’s premier sponsor was WIN Mortgage. The Her Turn festival also had raffles to raise money for the Flagler Board Riders scholarship program and the Family Life Center. The kickoff party included a skate jam, artists, vendors, music and a food truck.

Results: https://liveheats.com/ events/224117

Heather Tran calls Mimi Munro a legend. Munro was one of the judges at the second annual Her Turn Women’s Surf Festival on June 1. Munro had a daughter and a granddaughter competing in the all-female surfing contest at the Flagler Beach pier.

The Ormond Beach native has four children and 12 grandchildren. But before she raised a family she was a two-time East Coast Surfing champion at age 14.

Munro learned to surf at 10 years old. Two years later, she was watching the 1964 Florida State Surfing Championships at the Ormond Beach pier when her friends encouraged her to enter the contest.

“They didn’t have enough wom en and my friends kept pushing me, but I didn’t have a surfboard,” she said.

Somebody loaned her a surf board and she wound up winning. At that time, she said, there were

heat.

only 9-foot longboards and no leashes.

Sponsored by the Daytona Beach Surf Shop, Munro went on to win the East Coast Surfing Championships in Virginia Beach in 1965 and 1966. She earned a spot in the 1966 World Surfing Championship in San Diego and placed third behind two of her heroes — women’s surfing

won the women’s pro longboard division at the Cocoa Beach Easter Surfing Festival at age 49. She is a member of several surfing halls of fame including the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame and the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach, California. Munro lives in Ormond Beach and has been a massage therapist for 39 years. Three of her children and two of her grandchildren surf, she said.

Elouise Pearsall, 8, of Jacksonville Beach, is excited for her

Heather Tran with her husband, Matt Tran, began the Her Turn Women’s Surf Festival last year. Photos by Jake Montgomery

Leia Miles, 17, of Jacksonville exits the water after her heat.

‘LEGEND’ MIMI MUNRO JUDGES EVENT

Coaches thriving as indoor football players FPC player travels to Europe

Jimmie Robinson and Jake Medlock are having big seasons while keeping an eye on their FPC players.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Jake Medlock’s typical day during the month of May began at 5:45 a.m. He’d wake up and get ready for practice with the Arena Football League’s Albany (New York) Firebirds. After practice, he’d write up scripts for his Flagler Palm Coast High School offense.

Then he’d watch his practice tape, eat lunch and break down FPC’s practice tape.

Medlock, FPC’s offensive coordinator, has a summer job. He’s the starting quarterback for the Firebirds. And he’s not the only coach on Daniel Fish’s FPC staff playing professional indoor football. Receivers coach Jimmie Robinson is the

starting running back for the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League.

Both Medlock and Robinson are leading their leagues: Medlock in passing with 812 yards and 11 touchdowns and Robinson in rushing with 484 yards. They still find time to keep up with the players they coach, even though they’re miles away. They keep up with each other too, even though they’re playing in different leagues.

“Me and Jake call each other before our games and after our games, and we watch film on the FPC kids,” Robinson said.

Medlock broke down the film of FPC’s 38-7 spring game victory again Pine Ridge.

“They looked good,” he said. “There were a lot of good things and a lot of things we have to work on.”

Medlock’s Firebirds are undefeated. They scored 11 points in the final 20 seconds to keep their perfect record intact with a 47-46 victory over the West Texas Desert Hawks on May 24. Down 46-36, Medlock

career. The former FPC and Bethune-Cookman star led the IFL in rushing with 915 yards last season. He had signed with the USFL’s New Orleans Breakers for this season before the league scrapped half of its teams, including the Breakers. After not getting picked up by another USFL team, the IFL’s Pirates asked him if he wanted to come back.

“The way football goes, you have to keep your film relevant,” he said.

threw a touchdown pass followed by a long 4-point conversion pass to tie the score. On the ensuing kickoff, the Firebirds scored the winning point by tackling the returner in the end zone.

“It was pretty crazy,” said Medlock, whose team won again on June 1, holding off the Nashville Kats, 32-24, to improve to 6-0. This is the fourth indoor football team Medlock, 32, has played for, but he hasn’t played in six years.

Firebirds coach Damon Ware, who coached Medlock in 2018 with the Cedar Rapids Titans of IFL, asked Medlock to come back.

After a bit of negotiating, the former college quarterback accepted an offer.

“I got the money I was asking for and a couple of little things,” Medlock said. “I have’t lost much. I did some scout teams at FPC and I got to show the young bucks that the old bull has still got it.”

While Medlock is nearing the end of his playing career, Robinson is trying to advance his young

He doesn’t know where his next stop will be as a player, but he’d ultimately like to get another shot at the NFL. He participated in the Cincinnati Bengals’ rookie minicamp in 2019.

“Whatever God’s plan is, that’s what my next step will be,” he said. “I’m not fully locked in on playing arena the rest of my career.”

Medlock said he and Robinson have an informal competition on which one will have the most touchdowns. Robinson has 15 rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns in 10 games, while Medlock has rushed for eight touchdowns and passed for 11. Both teams will be playing in Florida this month. Robinson’s Massachusetts Pirates will be at the Jacksonville Sharks on June 22, while Medlock’s final regular-season game with Albany will be at the Orlando Predators on June 29. “I know a bunch of (the FPC players) are coming to that game,” Medlock said. “Hopefully we’ll get them out on the field and do a group picture with them.”

Ivy Chen played with Florida Olympic Development soccer team in Germany and in the Cordial Cup in Austria.

BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Flagler Palm Coast soccer player Ivy Chen traveled to Germany and Austria with the United States Youth Soccer Florida Olympic Development Program’s U15 girls team last month and played in the prestigious Cordial Cup tournament.

“It was my first time visiting Europe. It was really cool to experience the difference in cultures,” said Chen, whose highlights of the trip included scoring a pair of goals against a Bayern Munich Academy team in a friendly and recording two assists in the Cordial Cup games in Austria.

“She was texting me while she was there,” said Cat Bradley, FPC’s assistant girls soccer coach. “I think the overall experience for her to be able to do that is pretty fantastic.”

Chen, who will be a sophomore in August, had been selected as one of 60 players for Team Florida’s ODP pool training for the second straight year. She did not make the Florida team but was one of a handful of players invited to join the team for the European trip on May 10-20 to complete the roster.

All the players on the trip received equal playing time. Team Florida played three friendlies in Germany and seven 30-minute games in the Cordial Cup in Austria, Chen said. Chen and her teammates won their group. They lost in the quarterfinals to another USYS team — Regional ODP, which was the eventual tounament champ. Team Florida placed eighth.

On thing that stood out to Chen on the trip was the drinking water.

“The tap water was drinkable and really clear. But they didn’t provide ice. That’s not really a big thing in Europe,” she said. She knew a few of her teammates

from pool trainings, but she said they all got closer during the trip. She and her teammates also got to meet a lot of European players their age.

“After the games we would take a group picture and exchange Instagrams to keep in touch,” she said. She played a winger position on the trip with Team Florida, but her preferred position is attacking midfielder. As a freshman, she scored 10 goals for FPC last season.

“She puts a lot of time and energy into the game of soccer,” Bradley said. “She’s an impact player for us.

Ivy has some energy to bring.” Chen, who is an International Baccalaureate student at FPC, has a busy summer planned: Conditioning and summer workouts with the Bulldogs and her club team, Florida Elite; plus FPC’s soccer camp, a North Florida Soccer Academy camp, a University of North Florida soccer camp and a college ID camp at Harvard University.

Last year she participated in Princeton’s ID camp.

“Every year I want to do a camp at one of the Ivy League colleges,” she said. “Going to an Ivy League school has always been my goal, and I still want to play soccer. So, it’s nice to be able to talk to coaches and get to know the schools more.”

celebrity cipher

By Luis Campos

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EMERGING PRIDE by Owen Bergstein and Jeff Chen, edited by Jeff Chen

Ivy Chen, left, poses with a teammate during Team Florida ODP's trip to Germany and Austria for the Cordial Cup.

Courtesy photo

Former Flagler Palm Coast and Bethune-Cookman star

Jimmie Robinson has rushed for 15 touchdowns for the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League.

Jake Medlock is the starting quarterback of the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League and the offensive coordinator of the Flagler Palm Coast Bulldogs. Courtesy photos