Ormond Beach Observer 08-15-24

Schools target vaping and violence

Representatives from Volusia County Schools, the School Board, the Ormond Beach City Commission, BRPH and WELBRO cut the ribbon celebrating the opening of the new Tomoka Elementary School on Thursday, Aug. 8. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

CITY WATCH

JARLEENE ALMENAS SENIOR EDITOR

LuLus’s to close after 17 years in business

Sunday, Aug. 11, marked the final day of serving customers for LuLu’s Oceanside Grill, as its management posted on its Facebook Page that the restaurant would be closing its doors, following a decision not to renew its lease.

“After much deliberation and sleepless nights, we believe it’s time to move forward,” wrote Jerimee Gum in the Facebook post. “LuLu’s Oceanside Grill has been a local hangout of Ormond Beach for over 17 years with an abundance of memorable times for many!! I can’t expound enough on the level of gratitude and Love that was generated within these 4 walls during this time frame.” LuLus was located at 30 S. Atlantic Ave. and served seafood, burgers, wings, steaks and more. Gum ran the restaurant with his partner Patrick Moynihan. In his post, Gum said he would be reaching out to other local restaurateurs to help place his staff in other jobs.

“Our staff that worked hard every day to give exemplary service under these recent challenges are parallel to none because of their resiliency and professionalism,” he wrote.

Ormond seeks input for 2045 report

What do you want Ormond Beach to look like in 2045?

The city is beginning its Comprehensive Plan 2045 Update, a staterequired report that local governments should determine whether updates are needed every seven years. The city’s last Comprehensive Plan Evaluation and Appraisal report, known as EAR, was completed in 2010. The city determined in 2017 that an update was not needed.

The 2045 update must be completed by June 2025, and to start that process, the city will be holding a Community Engagement Meeting on Monday, Aug. 26, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the City Commission Chambers in City Hall. Light refreshments, as well as ice cream from Neighborhood Scoop, will be served.

City Planning Director Steven Spraker gave the Planning Board an overview of what the process will look like at the board’s meeting on Thursday, Aug. 8. The board will begin reviewing individual comprehensive plan elements beginning Sept. 12. Next year, tentatively scheduled for Feb. 4, 2025, there will be a City Commission workshop to discuss the board’s review of the plan and proposed amendments.

“You will be the lead of this review,” Spraker told the board.

City staff has been examining its comprehensive plan for about five months and has noticed needed changes, he said.

The city didn’t update its plan in 2017 because there weren’t any changes needed, Spraker added.

“We ran into some issues, obviously, where it was brought up that maybe we should have looked at things sooner or earlier because of cities growing outward.”

County Councilman Danny Robins on ISBA with Ormond Beach. See Page 5A.

“We were just coming out of a recession and so there wasn’t a whole lot going on,” Spraker said.

“If you look at the last seven years, there’s been quite a bit through annexations, the Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement. There’s been a lot of changes in our growth management.”

According to the city’s website, the comprehensive plan is “long-range policy document to guide future growth and public infrastructure investment within Ormond Beach.”

Residents are also invited to share their input for the city’s 2045 update via a survey at www.surveymonkey. com/r/CompPlan2045UpdateSurvey.

Board OKs reduced setbacks for church

The Planning Board unanimously recommended approval for a reduction of the required rear and side yard setback for churches that abut single-family homes via a special exception at its meeting on Aug. 8. The Land Development Code amendment was initiated by First United Methodist Church, which seeks to redevelop and expand its campus at 336 S. Halifax Drive. The LDC currently states that churches that abut residential homes must have 100-foot setbacks. Coalition holds candidates forum

The Conservative Citizens of Ormond Beach held a candidates forum on Thursday, Aug. 8, and founder Al Stewart said he was pleased with the turnout and that the Q&A time was “powerful.”

“Many asked questions, good serious questions about the airport expansion, new development on Granada, the condos at the golf course,” Stewart said in a statement to the Observer

About 40 people attended the forum, he said, which featured only the coalition’s endorsed candidates: Kristin Deaton, City Commission Zone 3 candidate; Jason Leslie, mayoral candidate; and Donna Brosemer, School Board District 4 candidate. Brosemer was asked the most questions, Stewart said. City Commissioner Travis Sargent also attended and gave an update on what the commission is working on. The coalition, which aims to help residents identify conservative candidates in local nonpartisan races, will hold another forum prior to the general election on Nov. 5.

The city will host a meeting on Aug. 26 to gather input on the Comprehensive Plan 2045 update. Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock/Jeff Whiting

How to make schools safer? Districts aim for a proactive approach

Districts work together to educate students on substance abuse and violence and then hold them accountable.

BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Seventh Judicial Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza and the four school districts in the circuit, including Volusia and Flagler counties, are partnering on a new initiative called “Safety First, Success Always,” to address substance use and violence in the schools and communities.

Larizza, Florida Speaker of the House Paul Renner of Palm Coast and the superintendents of the four school districts, which also include St. Johns and Putnam counties, participated in a press conference Aug. 8 at the Kim C. Hammond Justice Center in Bunnell.

The initiative has three pillars: education, awareness and accountability. The school districts and the office of the state attorney have been working for about a year on a collaborative approach to deal with substance use, especially vaping; and violence, including fighting, threats and guns.

In May, stakeholder meetings were held with parents and students from

each of the districts to get their feedback.

“We’re in a fight to make sure that we prepare our students, our children, for the future,” Larizza said.

“‘Safety First, Success Always’ is our slogan, and that is our priority — to protect, prepare and keep safe our most precious asset, our children.”

The education component will be incorporated into the state’s minimum five-hour required instruction of “Character and Life Skills through Resiliency Education” for sixth through 12th graders beginning in the upcoming school year.

“Collectively, all four school districts will implement education and curriculum on substance use with an emphasis on vaping, because that’s a real problem in all of our communities,” St. Johns County Superintendent Tim Forson said. “In addition, assemblies will be held that educate students in all grade levels on the dangers of substance use and violence, impressing upon them to ‘See something, Say Something.’”

In an interview with the Observer, Volusia County Superintendent Dr. Carmen Balgobin said Volusia County will offer a nine-week educational vaping program for firsttime offenders.

“There’s a lot of research that they will learn about within that nine weeks,” Balgobin said. “It’s a realistic program that is gauged to inspire. But most importantly, change the thinking of the learner and equip them with the skillset that they need to make better decisions in the future.”

John Fanelli, Flagler Schools’ director of student services, is the point person for the initiative in Flagler County. When the student services departments from the four districts got together to discuss their priorities for the initiative, they all said vaping, he said.

“Then we started talking about how are we going to address it,” Fanelli told the Observer. “So we’re trying not to just give them punitive consequences which really are not getting to the root causes of the issues. So, educating parents on what to look for and educating students on

“We want to make sure they understand the resources that are available to them. ... But also, if we need to react, that we have the right interventions in place. When you do all those things, you are empowering a community.”

DR.

“This is being proactive. ... They’re going ahead and acting because they see that there are problems simmering underneath the surface in all these areas. The goal, I hope here, is to make those smaller problems today remain small and go away and not become large problems of addiction, of gun violence and other things.”

REP. PAUL RENNER

the effects. A lot of times students don’t realize that vaping doesn’t just affect the lungs. It can cause them to be depressed or to be confused, and they don’t even realize that it’s the vaping that’s doing it to them.”

The awareness component will come through public service announcement videos created by the state attorney’s office with the districts as well as by students for students and by parents for parents, Balgobin said. The videos will be distributed into the communities to raise awareness of risk and consequences.

“We want to make sure they understand the resources that are available to them,” Balgobin said. “We can talk about counseling, we can talk about mental health and some of the additional resources that are available in our communities and how we can bring those resources together and have it on a fingertip so that we can be preventive. But also, if we need to react, that we have the right interventions in place. When you do all those things, you are empowering a community.”

Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore said all four districts have been working together to provide a unified message on accountability, which will include educating students and families on consequences of offenses.

“We had our student services staffs work on providing a common code of conduct,” Putnam County Superintendent Rick Surrency said, “so that we provide those consequences and accountability measures for the things that we all face.”

Renner said what State Attorney Larizza and the four superintendents have done is a great example of proactive leadership.

“That was something that was lacking before (the Parkland shooting), and when I look at this, it makes me sad as to what happened as many years ago, because all three of those pillars were absent,” Renner said. “If you read the report about the Parkland shooter, he was in contact with school officials, he was in

contact with mental health professionals, with law enforcement, and importantly, many of the students knew that he was not going in a good direction, yet nothing happened. There was a lack of education, a lack of awareness and ultimately a lack of accountability with this idea that we’re not going to hold people accountable and somehow the problems will just go away.

“So, this is being proactive,” Renner said. “We didn’t have a shooting here. They’re going ahead and acting because they see that there are problems simmering underneath the surface in all these areas. The goal, I hope, here, is to make those smaller problems today remain small and go away and not become large problems of addiction, of gun violence and other things.”

Renner and Larizza said they would like to see the program go statewide.

“I believe this is the first initiative of its kind in the state of Florida,” Larizza said. “I expect this to be an example. That’s our plan. We want to push this out to other circuits. We know how to prosecute, but what about prevention? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could prevent a crime before it happens through education, through awareness and through accountability? The bottom line is that we are going to work together to make sure that the community is safe, that the schools are safe. But we’re also going to want these kids to understand and learn the consequences when they get involved in something that they shouldn’t.”

What’s your view on school safety? Email letters to the editor to brent@ observerlocalnews.com.

“We know how to prosecute, but what about prevention? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could prevent a crime before it happens through education, through awareness and through accountability?”

R.J. LARIZZA, state attorney

State Rep. Paul Renner, State Attorney R.J. Larizza, Putnam Superintendent Rick Surrency, St. Johns Superintendent Tim Forson, Volusia Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and Flagler Superin-

tendent LaShakia Moore at the press conference to announce the Seventh Circuit’s “Safety First, Success Always” initiative. Photos by Brent Woronoff

CARMEN BALGOBIN, Volusia County Superintendent

Pride and service: Pathways Elementary has a new principal

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

There’s no other job Kevin Berry said he’d rather have.

As Pathways Elementary’s new principal — his very first job with Volusia County Schools — Berry started his role on Monday, Aug. 5.

“We have such an incredible team here,” Berry said. “I could not have asked for a better group of people to work with.”

Berry has been in education for 27 years, much of which was spent in Alachua County, where he previously worked as a district administrator, substitute principal, assistant principal and teacher over the years.

However, he’s had a connection to Volusia County since he was young as his parents were both big race fans. He’s also owned a home in Ormond-by-the-Sea for seven years, and spent every weekend there since.

And as he spent more time in the community, Berry said he wanted to be a part of it.

“This is a gold mine of a school, and it’s because of the people that make up the building,” Berry said.

The Ormond Beach Observer recently spoke with Berry about his first few days on the job, his goals for the upcoming school year and the Pathways Patriot spirit.

Here’s what he had to say.

What are you most looking forward to in your role as principal?

I’m really excited about helping our teachers really share their expertise with one another, because I think that’s going to be the next level in helping our students grow. We’re really excited. This year, we have a theme. It’s called “Building leaders one Patriot at a time,” because of course, we’re the Patriots, and one of the things we’re going to really try to work on this year is asking students, “How have you led today and who have you served today?” Because leadership is all about service and we really want to instill that in our students.

I’m excited about having them here, so that we can start that

process and getting them excited and passionate about all the things — with reading and math and others — but also about serving others and sharing the gifts they have with others. Our teachers are doing that so we want our students to be able to do that too.

Any goals for the upcoming school year?

We have lots of goals obviously, because there’s numerical goals that we set and we made a lot of improvements academically last year. There’s more that we want to do, so we’re setting the bar high. For every metric we have, we want to go higher. We also want to continue to partner with our families to ensure

our students are in school every day on time, and so we’re going to work on that because that helps us to be in better service of them.

We are so lucky at Pathways, and we have other schools in our area that are lucky in the same way. We have such incredible dedicated staff, from our teachers to our support staff — everyone here is just so committed to students.

But we’ve been really busy sometimes, and we don’t always share what we know with everybody else. So our biggest goal is to provide more opportunities to celebrate what each other knows and to give them the platform to be able to help others. We have experts in just about everything here. So it’s up to us as school leaders to be able to provide people the opportunity and the time to be able to learn from

one another.

What are some challenges you’re looking forward to tackling in the next school year?

One of the things we want to continue to do is, when we have students with special needs, being very creative and making sure that we’re addressing those needs while also trying to get them caught up. There are new regulations we have from the state related to security and safety, and we want to make sure we adhere to all of those, but we want to do it in a way that is not impacting instruction. We also want to make sure that we’re continuing to make learning fun. I don’t know if that’s a challenge or if that’s an opportunity that we have because I think sometimes in today’s world, when

we are so focused on numbers and things, we can lose those intangible factors. I don’t know that we’ve ever lost that here at Pathways, but I don’t want us to. I want us to make more of that. I want to enjoy what we’re doing every day and I want us to enjoy this time with each other every day.

If you had to describe the Pathways Patriot spirit in one word, what word would you use? Pride. I think we all are just proud of who we are, but not who we are as individuals — who we are as a team and as a family, and I think we have a lot to be proud of. I think the biggest thing to be proud of is the camaraderie, the teamwork and the kindness that we do provide.

Kevin Berry has been in education for 27 years. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

VCS to address issues caused by HB 1473

A new law states that all school access points — gates and doors alike — must be locked at all times.

JARLEENE

ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

In May, Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a new law requiring more safety measures for schools — including a new reporting requirement for guardian programs and enforcement of locked access points, such as gates and doors.

Regarding the locked access points, Florida House Bill 1473 dictated this should be in place by Aug. 1, but Volusia County Schools rolled it out in May, hoping to give teachers and staff an opportunity to find solutions should problems arise, said Capt. Todd Smith, director of safety and security for Volusia County Schools, during a School Board workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 13.

“Obviously, there are a lot of different steps,” Smith said. “There’s a lot to this law, but we’ve been working with

BRIEFS

Halifax Health welcomes new director

Halifax Health has announced the addition of Stephanie Wohlford as the director of Government Affairs.

Wohlford joins Halifax Health with experience in legislative work, having most recently served as the legislative aide to Florida Rep. Tom

them to try to make it as convenient as possible.”

After the first day of school, issues such as confusion over locked gates and doors arose at schools, which were highlighted by School Board members at the workshop. This is another unfunded mandate, Superintendent Carmen Balgobin said.

“Captain has walked every single campus with our Student Services Department and our Operational Division because each of our campuses are different,” Balgobin said. “... So he’s had to walk, from the time that the law has been enacted, every single campus to determine where the nooks and crannies are.”

The principals have been “amazing in problem solving,” she added. What the district will do in the upcoming weeks is speak with them about what is working well and what needs to be addressed.

School Board member Ruben Colon said he’d like for the district to have conversations with legislature to illustrate what the changes they are mandating look like — like the requirement that all campus access doors, gates and access points be either elec-

Leek.

During her time with the Florida House of Representatives, beginning in 2018, Wohlford assisted Leek with legislative activities both in Tallahassee and locally.

Prior to joining Leek’s team, Wohlford was a business owner in the community, where she made connections in the advertising, restaurant, and retail industries.

“We are thrilled to welcome Stephanie to the Halifax Health team,” said Jeff Feasel,

tronically or manually controlled by school personnel to let visitors, students and staff inside a school campus.

“Let’s show you what it means in the morning, if it’s storming that someone has to stand at the teacher gate to let the teachers as they come in one after the other,” Colon said. “... Maybe they didn’t think of that. It’s not criticism. It’s, ‘What is the application?’”

Colon spoke about implementing electronic methods to control gates, which are being implemented at some schools.

To implement that at all schools, however, would take funding he said.

And supplemental school funding that would otherwise be used for clubs or other school-based programs was already used to staff gates at some schools, he said.

Smith said the district is looking at the cost of staffing gates and access points versus putting in electronic systems.

“What we’re doing is trying to figure out what the best and most efficient use of the resources that we have are,” Smith said.

president and CEO of Halifax Health, in a press release.

“Her extensive experience in government affairs and her deep understanding of the legislative process make her an incredible asset to our organization. She has an impeccable track record, and we look forward to working closely with her as we continue to advocate for policies that support our mission of providing exceptional healthcare to our community.”

FARMER’S MARKET

STREET, ORMOND BEACH MORE INFO @ ORMONDBEACHFARMERSMARKET.COM

Volusia renews ISBA with Ormond

The renewal does not include an expansion for the proposed fuel farm site at 874 Hull Road, despite the County Council’s vote in November 2023.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

The Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement between Volusia County and the city of Ormond Beach has been extended for another 10 years — and despite the majority of the County Council wishing to incorporate the proposed fuel farm site at 874 Hull Road, the agreement’s territory remains unchanged.

On Tuesday, Aug. 6, the Volusia County Council unanimously approved the decade-long extension to the ISBA, which was first adopted in 2014. The ISBA established a municipal service area to encourage coordination in planning, service delivery and boundary adjustments between the city and the county.

The ISBA only includes properties on the northeast side of U.S. 1.

Last November, the County Council voted 5-2 to initiate expanding the ISBA with the city to include 874 Hull Road, a move that the city of Ormond Beach said in a statement would prohibit the municipality from denying utilities and annexation to Belvedere Terminals, the company seeking to construct the fuel farm on the unincorporated property. The denial of annexation and utilities is a result of the city’s opposition to the project.

Troy Kent and Jeff Brower were the two councilmen that were against expanding the ISBA.

At the Aug. 6 meeting, Councilman Danny Robins asked if the council should instead look at renewing the ISBA more frequently: Perhaps every two or four years.

“We ran into some issues, obviously, where it was brought up that maybe we should have looked at things sooner or earlier because of cities growing outward,” Robins said.

Senior Assistant County Attorney Paolo Soria said there is a five-year review period in place, where the county and the city can invoke a termination process, if needed.

“This has been one of our more successful ISBAs because it’s small,” Soria said.

“It’s pretty purpose-built. ...

When staff got together in 2020, 2021 to review it, there were no issues with it.”

The ISBA is a planning document, he added, so the county and the city are preparing these properties for voluntary “orderly annexation, including services and infrastructure.”

“This smooths the process of annexation into the city because we’ve identified these parcels that should go into the city and so we’ve generated a process to make it easier without a lot of friction,” Soria said.

Councilman Don Dempsey said he shared Robins’ concern about the ISBA being a 10-year commitment, particularly due to the issues with citizens about responsible growth. He asked if the county could exit out of the agreement at any time, which Soria said it could. The termination would need to be noticed to the city prior to May 1, and it would be terminated by Dec. 31 of that year.

Robins asked Soria if it was fair to say that there were issues with the ISBA.

“I don’t believe there were any issues with the ISBA,” Soria said. “There were issues with properties that were outside the ISBA.”

The city does not have land use, zoning, or building permit control of unincorporated properties outside the ISBA, he added. Currently, Ormond Beach’s ISBA with the county is the only agreement that allows the city to take over these rights for properties included in the agreement. The city of New Smyrna Beach had a something similar in its ISBA with the county, but the provision was removed.

“I would think a reasonable person would want more control of that — some properties that were still in limbo,” Robins said. “I think there were some obvious issues with it, and I just want to make sure if we renew it, if it failed prior ... why are we renewing it? But if you’re saying that everything is hunky-dory, I’ll take your word for it.”

The City of Ormond Beach is updating the Comprehensive Plan (2045 update). You are invited to share your thoughts, comments, and ideas regarding the future of Ormond Beach at an upcoming Community Engagement Meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024, from 5:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at the City Commission Chambers at 22 South Beach Street Ormond Beach, Florida, 32174. The meeting will have stations with city staff available to discuss and take comments on the individual Comprehensive Plan elements and other opportunities to provide input. Individuals may visit the stations anytime from 5:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Ice cream from Neighborhood Scoop will be available, as well as light refreshments.

To learn more on the Comprehensive Plan 2045 update, follow the update process, or take the survey, please scan the QR code or visit webpage www.ormondbeach.org/ Comprehensive-Plan-2045-Update. If there are any questions, Planning staff can be reached at (386) 676-3238 or via e-mail at comdev@ormondbeach.org.

The City of Ormond Beach is updating the Comprehensive Plan (2045 update). You are invited to share your thoughts, comments, and ideas regarding the future of Ormond Beach at an upcoming Community Engagement Meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024, from 5:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at the City Commission Chambers at 22 South Beach Street Ormond Beach, Florida, 32174. The meeting will have stations with city staff available to discuss and take comments on the individual Comprehensive Plan elements and other opportunities to provide input. Individuals may visit the stations anytime from 5:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Ice cream from Neighborhood Scoop will be available, as well as light refreshments. To learn more on the Comprehensive Plan 2045 update, follow the update process, or take the survey, please scan the QR code or visit webpage www.ormondbeach.org/Comprehensive-Plan-2045-Update. If there are any questions, Planning staff can be reached at (386) 676-3238 or via e-mail at comdev@ormondbeach.org.

Volusia County Councilman Danny Robins. File photo

Marine Science Center to close for renovations

Volusia County’s Marine Science Center is about to undergo $4.2 million in renovations and improvements that will bring new marine exhibits and expand areas for public education, staff and volunteers. To accommodate the project, the center will be closed to the public for about nine months beginning Monday, Sept. 2.

Planned additions include:

„ John Crisp Artificial Reef Exhibit, which will educate the public about the benefits of Volusia County’s artificial reef program

„ A 1,500-square-foot multipurpose education building

„ Living shoreline exhibit

„ Living reef exhibit

„ Working coral lab that will provide coral research opportunities to high school and college students

„ Aquarium quarantine deck for new fish that will be added to exhibits

„ Improvements will be made to the parking area and main building to improve traffic flow.

Funding comes from a Volusia ECHO grant and the American Rescue Plan Act. The public is invited to make donations to enhance the new exhibits and educational activities at www.marinesciencecenter.com/support/ adopt.stml.

Annual pass holders will be granted extensions to cover the period the center will be closed to the public.

Throughout the closure, staff will continue to care for the many birds and turtles that are brought to the center for treatment and rehabilitation. They will also schedule off-site programs to educate residents about Volusia County’s amazing wildlife and habitats.

Sculptures coming to Ormond Beach

Beginning in November, 13 hyper-realistic bronze statues will appear in and around Historic Downtown Ormond Beach and stay there through April 2025.

Called “Art Imitates Life,” the sculpture installation is being sponsored by the Ormond Beach Arts District. The nonprofit has raised more than $50,000 from local sponsors to bring the sculptures to Ormond Beach for the six-month residency.

All 13 sculptures are the work of world-renowned American artist, Seward Johnson. Johnson’s sculptures have been displayed in public spaces around the world, including Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and the Venice Film Festival, and are included in numerous private collections, museums, and public art collections.

Most of the sculptures on display in Ormond Beach will be drawn from his “Celebrating the Familiar” series, which features people doing everyday things. Two are from his “Icons Revisited” series, including “Rosie the

Riveter” and “The Kiss” and one, from his “Beyond the Frame” series, depicts the artist Claude Monet at work on a canvas. From his spot in Rockefeller Gardens, Monet will be painting a landscape of the Granada Bridge.

The pieces will be located on both public and private property along the Granada Boulevard corridor from A1A to Lewis Street.

The Ormond Beach Arts District will create a map and a page on its website to assist people in visiting the sculptures. Signage and QR codes at each piece will provide more information about the statue, the sculptor and the sponsor.

In addition, the Ormond Beach Arts District is planning some interactive activities, including a photo contest and docent tours, that will help make the sculptures come alive for those who visit them.

“We couldn’t have done this without our sponsors and the city of Ormond Beach,” said Julia Truilo, Ormond Beach Arts District Board President. “Everyone sees the value of public art, but it takes a few believers to make things happen for the community.”

COPS CORNER

AUG. 2

MIND ON THE MONEY

2:41 a.m. — First block of Old Kings Road, Palm Coast Possession of methamphetamine, marijuana. Deputies arrested a 28-year-old Miami man who was seen sleeping in his car in the parking lot of a local fast food restaurant.

The deputy reports he spotted a rolled marijuana cigarette container in the center console, at which point he woke the man up. The man said he was on his way to New Jersey to visit family, and that he’d stopped in Palm Coast to rest. He told the deputy that the container was for medical marijuana, but he wasn’t carrying his medical marijuana card. While conducting a search in the vehicle, the deputy also found two plastic bags containing methamphetamine inside two chocolate candy containers, according to the report.

The man said the meth, which he referred to as “product,” was left in his car by other people; he said he worked as an Uber driver. When asked why he didn’t get rid of it or contact law enforcement, the man said “honestly I was hoping to see if I could just sell it off in the streets to make a couple extra bucks.”

Police found 1.26 grams of meth and 6 grams of marijuana in his car.

He was taken to jail.

AUG. 5

BITE TO STEAL

4:13 p.m. — 600 block of East Moody Boulevard, Bunnell Battery. A 24-year-old Bunnell woman was arrested after she struck someone at a local dollar store.

According a report by the Sheriff’s Office, the victim told police that she saw the woman putting items inside a

red shopping bag while walking around the store. When the victim approached the woman, she began to walk toward the front door, at which point the victim grabbed the red bag.

The pair pulled the bag back and forth, and then the woman swung at the victim, hitting her in the right shoulder. The victim then took a step back, and the woman “lunged at her attempting to bite her,” according to the arrest report. She then left.

The victim was able to grab the bag and empty the contents near the register. She wished to pursue charges.

The woman was found in the 300 block of North Church Street. She was arrested.

AUG. 6

CAUGHT SPEED

1:31 a.m. — State Road 100, Palm Coast

DUI. “I cannot walk a straight line even if I was sober.”

That’s what a 43-yearold Palm Coast woman told troopers when she was pulled over for speeding. According to a report, the woman was going 56 mph on a 45 mph zone, and once stopped, she apologized and said she “caught speed coming over there.”

The woman said she was coming from her bartending job, and the reporting trooper noticed her eyes were bloodshot and that she smelled like alcohol. When asked how much she had to drink, the woman said she had two White Claws. She agreed to perform the field sobriety exercises, but warned the trooper she couldn’t walk in a straight line even when sober.

After the exercises, the trooper determined she was indeed impaired. She was arrested and taken to jail.

AUG. 7

UNEXPECTED DEPARTURE

1:19 p.m. — First block of Choctaw Trail, Ormond Beach Stolen vehicle. A 51-year-old

Ormond Beach man’s car was stolen from his driveway after he left his keys inside when returning from a vacation.

Police report that the man arrived at his home the evening prior at around 9 p.m., removing only some of his luggage. The next morning, his car was gone, according to the police report. The man tracked his vehicle using an AirTag to an apartment complex in Daytona Beach, from which an employee later reported the vehicle was later towed due to it being “abandoned” and having a flat tire.

Police told the resident, who wished to press charges, how to retrieve his vehicle. They also advised him to park it somewhere secure or to look into changing the key fobs.

AUG. 8

PARK AND FIGHT

10:30 p.m. — 600 block of Fleming Avenue, Ormond Beach Vandalism. A fight in a local park resulted in a dented car with over $1,000 worth of damage.

According to a police report, a 19-year-old Ormond Beach man showed up at the station to report damage to his car. How did the damage happen? He told police that he went to a local park because his friend’s little brother was going to fight another kid his age. While at the park, a total of eight other cars showed up, and they got back in the car along with the kids he was with. Up to twenty people, he said, got out of their cars and surrounded his, according to the report. They began hitting his car and he drove off. Two doors were kicked in and left large dents, with other dents all over his car. He and his parents, the registered owners of the car, were unsure if they wanted to pursue charges.

“Yuck Go Fetch” Seward Johnson, 1990, The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc. Photo by David W. Steele

Introducing Phonak Audéo SphereTM Infinio, a revolutionary leap forward in sound quality and precision.

Hear the Difference, feel the confidence

5 reasons to upgrade to Phonak Audéo Sphere TM Infinio today:

Exceptional speech clarity

Noise is no longer a barrier

Market-leading connectivity

Water resistant

Feel less fatigue*

Embrace conversations with instant, clean and clear speech far beyond any existing technology

From whispers to laughter, stay tuned in your friends group chatter no matter the ambient noise

Transition from songs, movies or TV shows to your favorite person thanks to seamless connectivity

Ready for rain, ready for dust, ready for life

Have more energy to enjoy the things you love most*

10/10 of surveyed Hearing Providers report Phonak Audéo SphereTM Infinio delivered an outstanding hearing experience.

Flagler Tax Service fraud suspect arrested in Vegas

Since 2021, Robert Newsholme has been the subject of local, federal investigations involving his former tax business.

FLAGLER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Robert “Bob” Newsholme, who had been the subject of local and federal investigations into allegations of fraud and embezzlement since 2021, was arrested on Aug. 7 in Las Vegas. Newsholme, 68, was arrested after Flagler County Sheriff’s Office detectives determined he had conducted an organized scheme to defraud clients of his tax business, Flagler Tax Service.

In August 2021, FCSO fraud investigators opened an investigation into Newsholme and his business after receiving numerous complaints that he had defrauded clients. Working with the Internal Revenue Service and the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, detectives in FCSO’s General Assignment Unit discovered that Newsholme took money from clients to pay their personal or business income taxes and never gave that money to the IRS. They also found that Newsholme was not a certified public accountant as most of his clients believed he was.

After opening over 100 cases from Newsholme’s victims, detectives turned the investigation over to IRS Criminal Investigation in October 2021. However, in August 2023, Sheriff Rick Staly spoke

with the IRS, who told him that, because of a federal technicality, they would not be pursuing the case. Staly then directed that FCSO fraud investigators reopen the case locally.

After a yearlong investigation that included examining all previous complaints and reviewing banking, credit card, and federal tax records, detectives determined that Newsholme had defrauded victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

During the investigation, detectives learned that Newsholme had moved to Las Vegas. With assistance from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, detectives attempted to interview Newsholme, but he refused to answer the door. Investigators were then able to obtain an arrest warrant for Newsholme in July.

Newsholme had moved after detectives tried to interview him. An investigation determined that he was residing in a nonprofit independent living facility for seniors, where he was attempting to avoid detection. He was arrested on nine counts of grand theft and one count of organized scheme to defraud. He was subsequently booked into the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas as a fugitive from justice and is being held on no bond. Newsholme will be extradited back to Flagler County.

“Although we were disappointed to learn that federal authorities would not be pursuing charges, we knew when we took back over the investigation that our General Assignment Unit had a solid case that would result in an arrest,” Staly said.

BRIEFS

Palm Coast human trafficking suspect faces 34 more charges

A Palm Coast man who was arrested last month on several felony charges, including human trafficking and lewd and lascivious battery on a minor aged 12-16, was served with two additional arrest warrants on Aug. 7, according to a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office press release.

The FCSO Major Case Unit obtained the two additional arrest warrants on David Chenowith, 32, based on a review of evidence recovered from his cell phone by the FCSO’s Digital Forensics Unit. The warrants included 34 offenses.

The warrants were served at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility where Chenowith was being held from the prior arrest. His bond is now $1,034,000.

The first additional arrest warrant was for two counts of promoting sexual performance by a child, which are second-degree felonies, and two counts of an unlawful two-way communication device, which are third-degree felonies.

The second arrest warrant was for the following: 13 counts of an unlawful two-way communication device, third-degree felonies; three counts of transmission of child pornography, third-degree felonies; four counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a minor aged 12-16, second-degree felonies; and 10 counts of promoting sexual performance by a child, second-degree felonies.

Chenowith had been under investigation since June, according to the release. FCSO deputies had obtained an arrest warrant on him last month for multiple felony of-

fenses for human trafficking, lewd and lascivious battery, and unlawful sexual activity with certain minors. At that time a search warrant for Chenowith’s cell phone was also obtained.

Volusia Fire Rescue secures its largest-ever grant

assistance

Volusia County Fire Rescue has secured a $583,636 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the largest assistance to Firefighters Grant the division has ever received, a press release announced Thursday, Aug. 8.

The funds will be used to expand the county’s firefighter training programs, incorporating extensive courses designed to enhance response capabilities and safety across a variety of critical operations.

Firefighters will receive instruction in incident command. The grant will also cover state testing and certification fees. This funding, the county states, “will significantly bolster the division’s ability to respond to emergencies and serve the community with the highest level of expertise.”

“Fire Rescue’s greatest asset is its people, and we believe that the strength of our team lies in the continuous growth and development of each firefighter,” Volusia County Fire Chief Joe King said. “This grant allows us to provide specific training to our team while ensuring they are prepared to protect our community.”

Palm Coast honors promoted firefighters, award winners

The Palm Coast Fire Department held a special ceremony on Aug. 8 at the Palm Coast Community Center honoring newly promoted firefighters and new hires.

Driver engineers Jeremy Barton, Leroy Fisher, Michael LaGreca and Anthony Pedersen were promoted to lieutenants. Firefighters Bill Kerek and Tyler Major were promoted to driver engineer positions.

Five new firefighters joined the team: Joseph Cruz, Evyn Insalaco, Kalin Kelly, Jace Sherbert, Joseph Sweeney, Jacob Weaver and Aaron Welsh all joined the department since February.

The newly promoted firefighters were proudly pinned by their loved ones. Chief Kyle Berryhill highlighted the significance of these advancements, emphasizing how the department’s well-

established succession plan ensures a seamless transition of leadership.

“As we recognize the contributions of retiring fire officers and welcome our newly promoted leaders, we also extend our congratulations to the career firefighters who embarked on their journey through our firefighter intern program,” Mayor David Alfin said. “Under the guidance of Chief Berryhill, I am confident that each of you will continue to provide outstanding care and fire protection for Palm Coast. Success is only achieved through meticulous succession planning.”

The fire department also honored firefighters for their heroic life-saving efforts. Lt. Joseph Fajardo, Lt. Patrick Juliano, Lt. Junelle Steward, Lt. Jason Wagner, Driver Engineers Katelyn Baller, Christopher Cottle, Brandon O’Hara, and Joshua Meeker, along with Firefighter Osvaldo Sene, were recognized with CPR Lifesaving Award Ribbons.

Lt. Guillermo Arnold and Lt. Leroy Fisher were awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for their outstanding service, exemplary coordination and unwavering dedication to protecting the community during a severe vehicle crash with entrapment and fire, where their rapid response saved a life.

Finally, Matanzas High School junior Logan Pacarro received the Civilian Life Saving Award for his courageous efforts in helping to save a neighbor’s life during a house fire on Aug. 6.

Flagler County master deputy named finalist for Officer of the Year

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy Kyle Gaddie was named a finalist for the 2024 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award presented by the Florida Sheriff’s Association, the FCSO announced.

Two Pinellas County deputies who were involved in a shoot-out with a burglary suspect won the award. The suspect critically injured a deputy sheriff, whose life was saved by another deputy.

Gaddie is with the Community Policing Division. He began his employment with

the FCSO in 2016 as a uniformed patrol deputy. He has earned numerous accolades and awards, including three lifesaving awards, multiple unit citations, deputy of the month and multiple certificates of accommodation. He is mentioned almost weekly in Crimemaps with various levels of recognition. Crimemaps is the FCSO’s version of CompStat, which is a performance management system that is used to reduce crime and achieve other police department goals.

Man’s threat to jump off overpass closes I-95, Palm Coast Parkway

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies shut down Palm Coast Parkway and I-95 in both directions early afternoon on Tuesday, Aug. 13, after receiving multiple calls reporting a man was standing on the outside of the overpass bridge threatening to jump, the FCSO reported.

The man on the bridge also called the FCSO stating he was going to jump off the overpass. Deputies rerouted traffic as multiple agencies responded, including the FCSO Crisis Negotiations Team, Palm Coast Fire Department and Florida Highway Patrol. The man said he didn’t want to speak to any female deputies. With assistance from the PCFD’s Ladder Truck he was eventually assisted from the overpass and into a lift. He was placed under a Baker Act and was transported for further medical evaluations.

“I hope he gets the help he needs,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “The quick response and combined efforts of FCSO deputies, Crisis Negotiators, the Communication Center and Fire Rescue saved a life today. I’m proud of the team effort.”

Dwight and Donna DuRant of Ormond Beach announce the engagement of their daughter, Emily Carter DuRant, to Robert Edward Mealey, son of Bob and Barbara Mealey of Boca Raton, Florida. The couple met in 2014 while attending the University of North Florida. A wedding ceremony

Sheriff Rick Staly and Master Deputy Kyle Gaddie

Newly promoted and recently hired Palm Coast firefighters with Deputy Fire Chief Bradd Clark (left) and Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill (right) at the Palm Coast Community Center. Courtesy photos

‘A true neighborhood school’

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Tomoka Elementary is greeting the 2024-2025 school year with a brand new $48 million campus.

Volusia County Schools, the School Board, Tomoka Elementary staff and students, and community members celebrated the completion of the new school — the fastest rebuild in the school district’s history — with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 8. The school district broke ground on the project, which came $1.2 million under budget, in late June 2023.

“We have been working with wonderful people to build this school for our community,” Tomoka Elementary Principal Julie Roseboom said. “We’re so excited to bring this to you. That is what this is all about — to bring the best school possible for our children.”

Tomoka Elementary first opened in Ormond Beach in 1968 with 240 students. It had eight classrooms, a multipurpose room, a temporary library and an office suite.

The new school, still located at 999 Old Tomoka Road, spans 107,024 square feet and features 45 classrooms, each with their own restroom, as well as collaboration spaces on each floor and a capacity for 836 students in pre-K through fifth grade. Its media center features a 15.5-foot tree structure with a 40-foot-wide canopy, and the new school colors of green and blue were chosen by students and inspired by Tomoka State Park and the Tomoka River.

The project was completed by architecture firm BRPH and the WELBRO Building Corp. BRPH has worked with VCS on more than 120 projects.

A total of 59 trees, including century-old oaks, were preserved in the rebuild. So was the school’s 1979 totem pole, which was previously featured in the main office.

The school’s Brave mascot was also updated, to be more historically accurate to the Timicua tribe and the fictional Chief Tomokie, the inspiration behind the mascot.

Roseboom, who has been the school’s principal since 2019, said the mascot art still features the feather originally drawn by the student who came up with the mascot’s appearance in the late 1960s.

“It’s the same little guy, we just

BY THE NUMBERS

According to BRPH, building the school took: 6,000

changed his hair,” Roseboom said.

“It’s really wonderful. We’re so proud of everything that our kids and staff have helped us do these days.”

Volusia County School Board member Carl Persis was the school’s second principal in its history. In the spring of 1990, the first principal,

W.L. Mullens, called him and asked him to take over for him. He was ready to retire.

Persis was living in Tallahassee and working with the Florida Department of Education. He told Mullens that he “had a pretty good thing going” in Tallahassee.

“And he said, ‘Oh, Mr. Carl, there’s nothing like Tomoka Elementary School,’” Persis recalled. Persis and his wife, City Commissioner Susan Persis, decided to move back to Ormond Beach for the job. Carl Persis said it was the best decision he ever made.

He served as principal from 1991 to 2004, and was the first person to serve as mayor and a school administrator in Volusia County. He was elected mayor of Ormond Beach in 1999 and served until 2002.

He said he’s been at the new school

every day this week — he can’t drive by the school and not stop, because of his excitement.

“A part of me will always be at Tomoka Elementary School,” Persis said.

Volusia County School Board Chair Jamie Haynes said the new school is “what every child in Volu sia County deserves.”

“It’s going to serve this community well, for may be as long, if not longer, than what your former building did,” Haynes said.

The goal is to ensure that every child has this opportunity, she added.

Volusia County Schools Superinten dent Carmen Balgobin said the district is get ting ready to open a new chapter for Tomoka, calling it a “true neighbor hood school.”

“Know that you have given to our students, our current students and many more that will be walking through these classrooms and these corridors, the best gift that you could give to any child,” Balgobin said. “That is, an optimal learning environ ment with creative and innovative spaces and world technology, best 21st century technology, so that not only can they learn in creative spac es, but really have the innovation that they need, the motivation that they need, and the experiences that they are garnering, so that when they become young adults and future members of this community, they will have the skill set and those formative years from the best experiences to realize their fullest potential.”

Tomoka Elementary celebrates opening of new school

The new Tomoka Elementary School spans 107,024 square feet. Photo courtesy of BRPH

Tomoka Elementary Principal Julie Roseboom speaks during the ribboncutting celebration.

Tomoka Elementary students led the pledge of allegiance.

Volusia County School Board member Carl Persis

Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and School Board members Jamie Haynes, Jesse Thompson and Ruben Colon.

Tomoka Elementary’s new media center. Photos by Jarleene Almenas

Debbie Thomas, of WELBRO

Tomoka Elementary’s 1979 totem pole maintains a presence in the new school.

Tomoka is an example of collaboration between VCS and city

School Board member

Carl Persis celebrates the opening of the new Tomoka Elementary and other district successes.

CARL PERSIS GUEST WRITER

Are those shouts of joy coming from students? Teachers? Parents? Grandparents?

Well, one thing is for sure, there is a lot of joy at the brand new Tomoka Elementary School. Last year, the Tomoka students and staff were displaced to the former Osceola Elementary School site, which was originally built in 1955 and located about four miles from Tomoka Elementary School.

As a former Tomoka Elementary School principal for 13 years, I could

not wait to see the beautiful new school. I was not disappointed. We were able to save the majestic oak trees, the totem pole in the office, and the mural about the legend of Chief Tomokie. I love the Tomoka State Park theme, the natural colors of green and blue, and dressing the mascot to look more like a Timucua Indian. Perfect!

Kudos to the city of Ormond Beach and City Manager Joyce Shanahan for paving Old Tomoka Road, which is the roadway which fronts the school. The city also trimmed the trees bordering the street. Now the neighborhood has a beautiful school, on a repaved street with nice looking trees. This is a classic example of the city and the school district communicating and working together to benefit children and the community. I do not want to leave out the fantastic Ormond Beach law enforcement team. The school has a new traffic flow design, so Chief Godfrey assigned officers to assist during the morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times. Again, outstanding cooperation between the school district and the city. Volusia County Schools are trending way up and the public

Make yourself at home

schools in and near Ormond Beach are leading the way. Check this out these school grades: Seabreeze High — A, Ormond Beach Middle – A, Ormond Beach Elementary – A, Pathways Elementary – A, Pine Trail Elementary – A, Tomoka Elementary – B, and David Hinson Middle School – B.

More good news! The Volusia County School District also improved its state ranking from 40th to 29th out of 67 school districts and our graduation rate of 91.6 is 3.6 percentage point higher than the state average of 88%.

We are trending up thanks to our nearly 7500 employees including the outstanding professional teachers, principals, assistant principals, and the fantastic support staff, who are working hard to make sure students are safe, fed, supported, and learning every day. I also want to thank the amazing PTA organizations at each school, Futures, Inc, the Chamber of Commerce, and the other community organizations, which are always assisting our public schools.

I want to give a shout out to Superintendent Balgobin and her leadership team for showing us how

we can increase academic achievement for all students and prepare high school students, who are not interested in college, for high paying and rewarding career technical opportunities in the workforce. As I visited schools last week during preplanning and on the first day, I wished I was a principal again. Being with teachers, welcoming parents, and engaging with students brought back many fond memories of my twenty years at Tomoka Elementary School and Ormond Beach Middle School.

To all parents, guardians, and grandparents, I say to you, “Congratulations! You survived the summer. Seriously, thank you for loving and caring for your children and grandchildren. They will always need your guidance and support.

Join me. You can be proud and share the success of Volusia County Public Schools.

Carl Persis represents District 4 on the Volusia County School Board. Persis, who is running for reelection, has served on the School Board since 2016. He is a former educator and served as a principal for Volusia County Schools for 27 years.

Back to school: a trapdoor back to reality

‘Are you sure you want to go on this water slide?’ I asked Kennedy, but really I was talking to myself.

After the first day of school this week, my 6-year-old son, Luke, dropped a piece of paper on my lap.

BRIAN MCMILLAN PUBLISHER

YOUR TOWN

“You’re supposed to read that,” he said. I looked at the paper, which contained information from the physical education department at his school. I was indignant. I thought: I’m the parent! Why do I have homework?!

Later, my wife, Hailey, filled out more forms for Luke and his 9-year-old sister, Kennedy. I was glad I had kept my complaints to

Mayoral candidate helps fill sandbags ahead of Hurricane Debby

On Sunday, Aug. 4, Ormond Beach mayoral candidate Jason Leslie helped residents fill sandbags in preparation for hurricane Debby. He and some of his volunteers were at the Nova Community Center helping dozens of residents as they prepared for the threat of flooding, according to a statement to the Observer.

“It was a great experience helping, especially the senior community,” Leslie said. The city of Ormond Beach offered a self-serve sand piles and fillable sandbags, and pre-filled sandbags to residents with special needs. Visit https://www.ormondbeach.org/ sandbags.

Kiwanis Club holds 44th annual Threads of Compassion event

On Saturday, Aug. 3, the Daytona Beach Kiwanis Club held its 44th annual Daytona Beach Kiwanis and JC Penney’s Threads of Compassion event, powered by Launch Credit Union.

The event, which helps kids in need start the school year with new

myself; otherwise, I might have been recruited to help, as punishment. Kennedy and Luke bubbled with stories of every detail from the first day: where they stood in line, which classmates they knew in which classes. Hailey asked more and more questions, savoring every detail, making Kennedy and Luke feel like celebrities. In our family, they were celebrities — the most interesting people in the world.

Luke climbed on his mother’s lap and told her all

clothes, is a tradition started in 1980 between the club and JC Penney’s daughter, Roswell Penney, of Ormond Beach.

Launch Credit Union recently joined in to provide gift cards for children to buy a new outfit or shoes, according to a press release. The credit union also helped each child start their own bank account with a $25 balance.

“This wonderful partnership between the Daytona Beach Kiwanis Club, JC Penney’s, Launch Credit Union, and the city of Daytona Beach, has stood the test of time as the Kiwanis Club is counted on every year to share our good fortune at such a crucial and stressful time for these kids and do so much to help provide a boost of much-needed dignity and pride to our less fortunate children the week before school starts,” the press release states.

The crowds exceeded the club’s estimation by 200%. ArtHaus also provided art projects to keep students engaged.

Final Bruce Rossmeyer Ride For Children to take place in October

During a span of nearly 30 years, the Bruce Rossmeyer Ride For Children has raised $7 million dollars to help children with serious medical illnesses attend Camp Boggy Creek.

This year marks the final Ride with Bruce’s name and legacy attached to it.

On Sunday, Oct. 6, motorcycle riders from all over Central Florida will ride, with a police escort, from Teddy Morse’s Destination Daytona to the tranquil Camp Boggy Creek in Eustis. Once they arrive at camp, riders will be welcomed with live music, some amazing Grand Marshals including Kyle Petty and Rusty Wallace, a delicious meal, and chances to win prizes. The Ride For Children helps raise funds that send children with serious medical conditions to Camp for a life-changing experience.

Camp Boggy Creek President and CEO Dan Jurman is beyond excited

about his cup of Jitter Juice, a Sprite-like drink his teacher had given each student to get the first-day jitters out.

“Did the juice work?” I asked.

“No,” Luke said, full of first-grade wisdom. “I didn’t have the jitters.”

He explained in great detail how he had walked down the correct hallway, navigating past the kindergarten classes with ease.

Meanwhile, our oldest daughter, Ellie, was less enthusiastic about her first day of high school.

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

Marketing Consultants Paula Losinger Paula@observerlocalnews.com; April Koehler, akoehler@observerlocalnews.com; Jacob Boyd, jacob@observerlocalnews. com

Office Coordinator Kay Raymond, Kay@observerlocalnews.com

SUBSCRIBE

To subscribe for driveway delivery, visit www.observerlocalnews.com/subscribe. TO ADVERTISE Call the office at 386-447-9723, or reach out to a marketing consultant above.

Locally Owned / Publishers of the Palm Coast Observer McMillan Ink LLC 50 Leanni Way, Unit C3 Palm Coast, FL 32137

“It wasn’t too interesting, to be honest,” she said without a hint of a smile.

“We went over stuff about the school.” Then, she added, tragically, “Stuff I already knew.”

The summer was officially over.

Days earlier, over the weekend, we had celebrated with a trip to a water park.

Kennedy, to my surprise, wanted to go on the tallest, scariest slides, including one that begins with the victim stepping onto a plexiglass trap door. When a teenage safety employee pushes a red button, the trap door disappears, and you free fall for 15 feet or so as water blasts you

in the eyes.

“Are you sure you want to go on this one?” I asked Kennedy, but really I was talking to myself. She grinned and nodded, and so we waited in line. Then she asked, “Are you writing about this in your column?”

I told her I was planning to write about the first day of school, but I would try my best to fit it in.

The trap door opened, and down the chute I went, beginning another 180 days of not enough sleep, stressing about my children’s stress, and mundane moments I hope to never forget.

Allen Chapel AME Church campers receive helmets from local Pilot Club

The Pilot Club of the Halifax Area presented a “BrainMinders” brain safety program to young summer camp attendees at the Allen Chapel AME Church in Daytona Beach on Thursday, Aug. 8. Pilot Club members provided a puppet skit featuring the “BrainMinder Buddies.” The puppet show structures injury prevention “Play Safe, Play Smart” through the story

“Wise Old Owl and his Fuzzy, Funny, Smart and Sunny BrainMinder Buddies.”

“BrainMinders” is Pilot International’s signature program, which focuses on traumatic brain injury and brain disorders and how to prevent injuries. Each camper, plus their counselors, were able to be fitted with a new helmet to keep them safe on their bicycles.

Campers also received coloring books, activity booklets and literature from Pilot International as well as the Florida Department of Transportation to reinforce the focus of brain safety. The helmets were obtained free from FDOT’s program PedBike, Florida’s Pedestrian & Bicycling Safety Resource Center.

for the upcoming ride.

“Bruce Rossmeyer had a passion for Camp Boggy Creek and would often say ‘It’s all about the kids,’” Jurman saidl “The Rossmeyer family have been so instrumental in helping us provide camp experiences for the children who deserve it and need it the most, I’m beyond grateful for everything that they’ve done for the children.” Participants can sign up for the ride and create a fundraising team at http://rideforchildren.com.

Tanger Outlets Daytona Beach offers grant for teachers, schools

Tanger Outlets Daytona Beach has launched its 2024 TangerKids

Grants Program and it’s inviting local schools to apply. Volusia County teachers and leaders within the education community may identify their needs and request funding to enhance programs. Applications are open through Oct. 18. Throughout the program’s almost 30-year history, Tanger has contributed more than $3.4 million to school-focused initiatives in the communities it serves, according to a press release. In 2023, Tanger awarded $168,000 to fund over 140 grants to schools and programs across the U.S., supporting equipment upgrades, inclusion initiatives, interactive learning spaces, hygiene and clothing closets, literacy efforts, STEM and more.

This year, Tanger has earmarked 70% of total grants for support of underserved schools, accessibility programs and student needs. Faculty members at public and private schools from pre-K to grade 12 are eligible to participate in the annual program.

Tanger Daytona Beach shoppers will again be invited to help choose grant winners in their community through Member’s Choice voting, which will be open Dec. 2-13. Award recipients will be announced in January 2025 and celebrated at the center’s annual TangerKids Day. Visit grants.tanger.com.

Send press releases to Jarleene Almenas at jarleene@observerlocal news.com.

Jason Leslie (left) helps fill sandbags for residents. Courtesy photos

Allen Chapel AME Church, Daytona Beach summer campers, with camp counselors and Camp Director Althea Mallory (far right) and Pilot Club of the Halifax members.

YOUR NEIGHBORS

About 60,000 Volusia County Schools students rang in the new school year on Monday, Aug. 12.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Backpacks filled to the brim. Cars lined up on the pickup loops. Two new schools.

About 60,000 Volusia County Schools students rang in the 20242025 school year on Monday, Aug. 12.

“We’re very excited to be welcoming our parents and our students back to school,” Superintendent Carmen Balgobin said.

The district and the superintendent began celebrating the first day of school at the new Turie T. Small Elementary in Daytona Beach. Balgobin said Volusia County Schools will be focusing on safety, security and addressing chronic absenteeism.

“We have an entire program that we will be rolling out, connecting with our families and our students to ensure that ... they understand the importance of being in school,” Balgobin said. “We want to make sure that there are no gaps when it comes to their learning.”

Student Services staff will be working with schools to identify students and find root causes for chronic absenteeism, Balgobin said. Based on district data, VCS reports that about 30% of its students are missing at least two days a month of school.

Additionally, the school district is cracking down on student vape use. VCS has installed vape detectors, will continue its Students Working Against Tobacco program and is now partnering with the Seventh Judicial Circuit on an initiative called “Safety First, Success Always” to address violence and substance use in schools, particularly vaping.

The district is also rolling out a nine-week program called “Volusia Assistance and Preventative Education” where a student who has been found vaping will be introduced to research modules and activities to educate about the importance of abstaining from vaping, Balgobin said.

When it comes to implementing the safety measures outlined in Florida House Bill 1473, which was signed in May, all doors and gates at all schools — save for the visitor entrances — will be locked.

The district is starting the school year with 28 classroom teacher vacancies, a reduction from last year’s 97 classroom teacher vacancies on the first day of school. All of the 28 vacancies, Balgobin said, are being filled with district personnel until a certified teacher is hired.

After visiting Turie T. Small Elementary, Balgobin and cabinet

members visited Tomoka Elementary, DeLand Middle School, Pine Ridge High School, Read-Patillo Elementary and Sugar Mill Elementary.

“I am looking forward to a day that’s going to be safe for all children and one where learning is taking place,” Balgobin said.

WHAT’S NEW AT VOLUSIA COUNTY SCHOOLS FOR 2024-2025?

At the district level, VCS opened two new schools — Turie T. Small Elementary and Tomoka Elementary. Work continues on two other rebuilds: Starke Elementary and Orange City Elementary.

VCS is also expanding its elementary Spanish-English dual language program from four to six schools with the addition of George Marks Elementary and Pierson Elementary. The district expanded the elementary French Immersion program from two to three schools, with the addition of Tomoka Elementary.

The district stated it continues to expand its Career and Technical Education opportunities, which encompass over 80 unique programs across the district, including over 100 individual high school offerings and over 100 individual middle school offerings. Some new additions include welding programs at Deltona High School and Taylor Middle-High School, a new finance program in partnership with Launch Credit Union at Pine Ridge High School and new equipment and resources for all high school agriculture programs. What’s new at our schools? Here’s what some local principals told the Observer

ORMOND BEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL

“Over the summer students voluntarily participated in Algebra bootcamp to get a jumpstart on the Algebra course they will be taking this year. We hired some new panther family members to join us as teachers, office staff, paraprofessionals, and café members. In partnership with the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class, we installed the Panther Positivity Poster project throughout our halls highlighting our very own panthers in action doing what we do best, being positively PAWsome. Finally, Ormond Beach Middle School is proud to be celebrating our A rating. Our staff, students, families and community members have worked together to achieve this rating. We are ready to have an amazing year!” — Heather Iannarelli, principal

BEACHSIDE ELEMENTARY

“Beachside Elementary is welcoming a new SRO, Robert Carter. The school is excited for its new partnership with Daytona Beach police. Beachside experienced academic growth last year, increasing its score by 5 points and moving out of 5 ESSA subgroups. Beachside is staggering our start to allow for increased supervision and less congestion during our complimentary breakfast time. Doors will open for students who are being dropped off by parents at 7:30. We continue to strive for a safe and welcoming environment as our number one priority. We hope to be able to share more exciting news as the year continues.” — Leigh Prokop, principal

PATHWAYS ELEMENTARY

“We have a new principal and a new administrative dean, Terri Lubas. Terri was recently a fourth grade teacher at Pathways and has a wealth of experience to share with us! Our theme for the year is ‘Building Leaders, One Patriot at a Time.’ We will engage in multiple opportunities for our students to be civically engaged both on campus and throughout the community. Visits to the media center will be part of students’ special area rotations this year. Mrs. McCabe is excited to use hands-on learning and technology to instill a love of literacy in our students by bringing books to life.” — Kevin Berry, principal

PINE TRAIL ELEMENTARY

“Pine Trail Elementary is excited about the new and improved PBIS program being implemented school wide. PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. PBIS is a tiered framework that focuses on rewarding students for positive behaviors on campus. Students at Pine Trail are expected to exemplify PRIDE (Patience, Respect, Integrity, Diversity, and Empathy) in all areas on campus. When classes show these positive expectations, they earn PRIDE chips given out by any and all staff members and in turn earn rewards based on how many chips they receive. All grade levels will be attending a PBIS assembly lead by Mr. Bynum our principal and Mrs. Morrison our academic coach and PBIS chairperson to review the expectations and reward system. Our goal is for all students, K-5, to know what the acronym PRIDE stands for and can give examples of what it looks like. #PTEPRIDE.”

— Charles Bynum, principal

Volusia County Schools Superintendent Carmen Balgobin speaks during a press conference at thew new Turie T. Elementary School on the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 12.

School Board member Carl Persis greets students at Tomoka Elementary . Photos by Jarleene Almenas

Pine Trail Elementary students Alexa Perdue and Brooke Pate. Courtesy photo

A Tomoka Elementary student begins learning french on the first day of school.

Pine Trail Elementary School students Kendall Morrison and Brynlee Surguine are all smiles for the first day of school. Courtesy photo

LOCAL EVENTS

THURSDAY, AUG. 15

THIRD THURSDAY DOCENT TOUR

When: 11 a.m. to noon

Where: Ormond Memorial Art Museum, 78 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach

Details: Take part in this one-hour experience that includes select pieces from the Malcolm Fraser Permanent Collection, the John Wilton installation in the stairway gallery, a walk through the gardens to learn more about the military tributes and a tour of the historic Emmons Cottage. No advanced registration is required. Meet inside the museum’s reception gallery by 11 a.m. Tour admission is free to current members and veterans; all others should pay $2 per person.

ORMOND BEACH AREA

DEMOCRATIC CLUB MEETING

When: 7 p.m.

Where: 56 N. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach Details: Join the Ormond Beach Area Democratic Club for its August meeting. Check-in and socializing will begin at 6:30 p.m. Included on the agenda is the finalization of the Aug. 20 primary election activities, and a discussion on the Democratic ticket as well as activities and merchandise to be made available for the Nov. 5 election. Like-minded non-members are welcome to attend as guests. Visit ormondbeachdems.org.

VOLUSIA COUNTY WALK TO END

ALZHEIMER’S KICKOFF EVENT

When: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Where: The Blake at LPGA, 1635 N. Williamson Blvd., Daytona Beach Details: Get a glimpse at what this year’s walk will look like and a chance to learn more about the Alzheimer’s Association, how to get involved and create your own team. The walk will take place on Nov. 9.

SATURDAY, AUG. 17

WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP

When: 1-4 p.m.

Where: Ocean Art Gallery, 197 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach

Details: Learn to paint in watercolor with artist Bibi Gromling. All supplies are included in the $75 class fee and no drawing is required. Class is limited to six students. Beginners are welcome. Call 386-317-9400 to reserve your seat.

SUNDAY, AUG. 18

LOW-COST PET SHOT CLINIC

When: 9-11 a.m.

Where: Big Lots Plaza, 122 N. Nova Road, Ormond Beach

Details: Get your pet vaccinated at a lower cost. Rabies shots will cost $5 for 1-year vaccinations. Other shots offered include dog distemper/ parvo combo, dog flu, cat distemper combo, feline leukemia and more. Heartworm prevention and flea control products will be available for purchase. All vaccinations are administered by a licensed veterinarian. No appointment needed. Clinic is open to everyone. Proceeds benefit abused animals. Call or text 386748-8993 or visit spcavolusia.org

THE FIVE EXPRESSIONS ART SHOW OPENING RECEPTION

When: 1-3:30 p.m.

Where: Expressions Art Gallery on Colbert, 2298 Colbert Lane, Palm Coast

Details: Attend the opening of a new art show, featuring Jan Jackson, Ron Lace, Judi Wormeck, Mike Gleason and Maggie Corder. Enjoy refreshments and view their art. The show will be on display through Sept. 28.

TUESDAY, AUG. 20

FOOD TRUCK TUESDAY

When: 5-8 p.m.

Where: Central Park, 975 Central Ave., Palm Coast

Details: Food Truck Tuesday is back. Order appetizers, main dishes, side dishes and desserts. Registration is not required. Presented in partnership with the Observer.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 21

BRIDGE AND GAMES When: 1-4 p.m.

Where: Flagler Woman’s Club, 1524 S. Central Ave., Flagler Beach

Details: Play Bridge and other games with the Flagler Woman’s Club. Call Nancy at 386-986-8392 to reserve your spot, discuss learning Bridge, or bringing your game group.

FLAGLER TIGER BAY CLUB WINE

TASTING MEET AND GREET

When: 5:30-8 p.m.

Where: Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway NE, Palm Coast

Details: Join community leaders, club members and guests in this sixth anniversary celebration and enjoy live entertainment, wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres. Tickets cost $40. Visit FlaglerTigerBayClub.com.

FRIDAY, AUG. 23

TURTLE TALK: A SEA TURTLE’S

JOURNEY

When: 10-11 a.m.

Where: Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area, 3100 S. Oceanshore Blvd., Flagler Beach

Details: Participants will learn about the important role sea turtles play in “the real Florida” and how actions can help preserve this species. All ages welcome; minors must be accompanied by an adult. Entrance into the park costs $5 per vehicle.

RECIPES AND READS CULINARY

LAB: BASIC COOKING

When: 11 a.m.

Where: Ormond Beach Regional Library, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond

Beach

Details: Learn all about substitutions in baking from library staff. Free program. Registration not required.

SATURDAY, AUG. 24

TALES WITH TAILS

When: 10 a.m. to noon

Where: Ormond Beach Regional Library, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond

Beach

Details: This is an interactive reading program designed for children up to age 12. Children will practice basic reading aloud skills by pairing up with a specially trained volunteer dog. Reservations, for 15-minute reading sessions, are required. Books are provided, or children can bring their favorite story. Free.

PLANT LIKE A

FLORIDIAN WORKSHOP

When: 10-11 a.m.

Where: Ormond Beach Discovery Center, 601 Division Ave., Ormond

Beach Details: Environmental Specialist Holly Giles will teach attendees

about Florida native plants and how to safeguard local waterways. The workshop will include a live demonstration of arrangements of native, non-native and invasive plant species. There will also be a hands-on demonstration of how to make an effective bug repellent from the Florida native Beautyberry. This workshop is part of the “Walk, Talk, and Learn” event with the Pawpaw Chapter of the Native Plant Society and is open to the public. All ages are welcome. Reservations required. Contact Holly Giles at hgiles@volusia.org or 386-736-5927, ext. 12330, or search for Green Volusia events on Eventbrite.com.

BEACHSIDE GARAGE

OPEN HOUSE

When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Birthplace of Speed Park, 21 Ocean Shore Blvd., Ormond Beach Details: The Motor Racing Heritage Association will host an open house at the Ormond Garage model at the Birthplace of Speed Park. The garage holds the two replica race cars that competed in the first sanctioned race on the beach in March of 1903. Free event.

RECIPES AND READS CULINARY

LAB: THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF FOOD

When: 2 p.m.

Where: Ormond Beach Regional Library, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach

Details: Learn about the history of “Florida foods” from library staff. Free program. Registration not required.

NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS

When: 5-8 p.m.

Where: Palm Coast United Methodist Church, 6500 Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast

Details: Fellowship of Christian Athlete’s Night of Champions will bring together coaches and student athletes across Flagler County for an evening of food, fellowship, inspiration and the gospel. RSVP by Monday, Aug. 19. Visit flaglerfca.org/ night-of-champions.

SUNDAY, AUG. 25

SUMMER CARNIVAL AND MARKET

When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Sip N Surf Coffee, 701 N.

Ocean Shore Blvd., Flagler Beach

Details: Attend this free event at Sip N Surf Coffee, themed carnival. There will be games, prizes, local vendors, coffee and more. Presented by FB Real Estate Co.

ONGOING

ORMOND BEACH REGIONAL

LIBRARY TODDLER TIME

When: Aug. 15, 22 and 29

Where: Ormond Beach Regional Library, 30 S. Beach Street, Ormond Beach

Details: An interactive literacy program for children between 18 months and 3 years old. Children and caregivers are introduced to basic building blocks of literacy through stories, rhymes, and music. Programs may end with a brief STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math) activity.

BAM SENIOR FITNESS CLASS

When: 9:30 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays

Where: Palm Coast First Baptist Church, 6050 Palm Coast Parkway NW, Palm Coast

Details: Join this Balance and Motion class and develop strength and endurance, core stability and balance. Taught by senior fitness specialist Artie G, the class is open to all fitness levels and free with most insurances. A donation is accepted for those without coverage. See full schedule at synergyseniorfitness. com or call 386-931-3485.

REGISTRATION FOR ART CLASSES, WORKSHOPS

When: Times vary, most classes and workshops begin in October. Where: Art League of Daytona Beach, 433 South Palmetto Ave., Daytona Beach Details: Register for fall classes and workshops at the Art League of Daytona Beach. Visit www.artleague.org or phone 386-947-7103. Workshops and classes vary in start time and duration.

Send events to Managing Editor Jarleene Almenas at Jarleene@ observerlocalnews.com

•Hearing

•Checking

Check out our blog for informative articles: ormondhearingcenter.com/blog

Unhappy

Call today for a free hearing screening!

*By Appointment Only

•Professional Full Service Gold, Silver Platinum, Palladium & Rhodium Exchange

• Direct Bullion Sales and/or Purchases of Physical Gold, Silver, Platinum Bars, Coins, Ingots, etc. in any form.

•Free consultation, No Obligation Appraisals ~

•Stop a loss & replace your IRA’s worst performing asset with real, physical gold or silver, no tax consequences, no penalties. Call or Visit our Website to Learn How

• SEC Registered & Bonded Fiduciary Adviser, Gold & Silver Supplier for TaftHartley Union Pension & Retirement Funds

• We are an Official Distributor for Many Government Mints

• YES!

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

Grand Haven pool home is Flagler’s top sale

Ahouse at 55 Scarlet Oak Circle in Grand Haven was the top real estate transaction for Aug. 1-7 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. The home sold on Aug. 7 for $830,000. Built in 2015, the house is a 3/3 and has a pool, heated spa and 2,458 square feet.

Cypress Knoll

The house at 7 Edgemont Place sold on Aug. 5 for $420,000. Built in 2008, the house is a 3/2 and has 2,104 square feet.

Indian Trails The house at 4 Birchwood Place sold on Aug. 2 for $430,000. Built in 2019, the house is a 3/2 and has 2,208 square feet.

the condo is a 2/2, has 1,570 square feet.

The condo at 3580 S. Ocean Shore Blvd., Unit 105, sold on Aug. 1 for $162,500. Built in 1982, the condo is a 1/1 and has 658 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $129,000.

PALM COAST

Ocean Hammock

The house at 42 Oak View Circle W. sold on Aug. 6 for $775,000. Built in 2006, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool, heated spa and 2,958 square feet. It last sold in 2013 for $478,500.

Seminole Woods

The house at 13 Sea Serpent Trail E. sold on Aug. 2 for $352,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 5/3 and has 2,277 square feet.

Grand Haven The house at 51 Shinnecock Drive sold on Aug. 1 for $449,900. Built in 2001, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,946 square feet.

Lehigh Woods The house at 74 Edward Drive sold on Aug. 6 for $468,800. Built in 2006, the house is a 4/2 and has a pool and 2,129 square feet. It last sold in 2011 for $156,000.

The house at 29 Eastwood Drive sold on Aug. 6 for $449,999. Built in 2006, the house is a 3/2 and has

a pool and 1,841 square feet. It last sold in 2012 for $238,000.

Palm Harbor The house at 26 Cloverdale Court S. sold on Aug. 5 for $750,000. Built in 2001, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 2,554 square feet.

The house at 22 Frontier Drive sold on Aug. 1 for $470,000. Built in 2007, the house is a 3/2 and has 2,438 square feet.

Marineland Acres

The house at 3 Rollins Drive sold on Aug. 2 for $780,000. Built in 2023, the house is a 4/3 and has 1,769 square feet.

Quail Hollow

The house at 75 Laguna Forest Trail sold on Aug. 6 for $435,000. Built in 2005, the house is a 4/2 and has a pool and 1,886 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $256,100.

The house at 8 Kansas Path sold on Aug. 2 for $350,000. Built in 2004, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,730 square feet. It last sold in 2018 for $212,500.

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

Ormond-by-the-Sea home sells for $629K

Ahouse at 35 Sand Dollar Drive in the Seabridge South subdivision was the top real estate transaction for Aug 1-7 in Ormond Beach and Ormond-by-the-Sea. The home sold on Aug. 2 for $629,000. Built in 1986, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, heated spa and 1,524 square feet. It last sold in 2017 for $210,000.

GRANT MCMILLAN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Condos

The condo at 815 Ocean Shore Blvd., Unit 13A, sold on Aug. 2 for $477,000. Built in 1969, the condo is a 2/2.5 and has 1,020 square feet. It last sold in 2020 for $345,000.

ORMOND BEACH

Forest Hills

The house at 1201 Scottsdale Drive sold on Aug. 6 for $332,250. Built in 1960, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,828 square feet. It last sold in 2012 for $90,100.

Sailors Row

The house at 14 Mainsail Circle sold on Aug. 6 for $365,000. Built in 1990, the house is a 3/2 and has a heated spa and 1,146 square feet. It last sold in 2008 for $160,000.

Plantation Pines

The house at 188 Conifer Lane sold on Aug. 2 for $370,000. Built in 1992, the house is a 4/2 and has one fireplace and 1,728 square feet. It last sold in 2022 for

$325,000.

Daytona Shores

The house at 802 N. Beach St. sold on Aug. 5 for $386,000. Built in 1975, the house is a 3/2 and has one fireplace and 1,900 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $190,000.

Plantation Bay

The house at 860 Pinewood Drive sold on Aug. 1 for $410,000. Built in 2019, the house is a 3/3 and has 2,101 square feet.

The house at 1217 Sunningdale Drive sold on Aug. 1 for $408,000. Built in 2002, the house is a 3/2 and has 2,185 square feet.

Ormond Terrace

The house at 214 Warwick Ave. sold on Aug. 5 for $434,900. Built in 1971, the house is a 4/2 and has one fireplace and 2,129 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $199,500.

Spring Meadows

The house at 58 Spring Meadows sold on Aug. 1 for $450,000. Built in 1999, the

house is a 4/3 and has 2,552 square feet. It last sold in 2000 for $192,900.

Northbrook

The house at 1307 Overbrook Drive sold on Aug. 7 for $310,000. Built in 1980, the house is a 3/2 and has one fireplace and 1,747 square feet.

The Trails The house at 22 River Ridge Trail sold on Aug. 5 for $605,000. Built in 1977, the house is a 4/3.5 and has a pool, two fireplaces and 3,299 square feet.

Ortona Park

The house at 44 Jamestown Drive sold on Aug. 6 for $550,000. Built in 1958, the house is a 3/2 and has one fireplace, a pool and 2,068 square feet. It last sold in 2020 for $275,000.

ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA

Imperial Heights The house at 114 Imperial Heights Drive sold on Aug. 7 for $447,000. Built in 1966, the house is a 4/2 and has one fireplace and 2,260 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $450,000.

Avalon by the Sea The house at 146 Via Madrid Drive sold on Aug. 1 for $411,000. Built in 2020, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,122 square feet.

Oakview Heights The house at 19 Morning Star Drive sold on Aug. 5 for $400,000. Built in 1968, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,651 square feet. It last sold in 2018 for $275,000.

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

PALM COAST

ORMOND BEACH

BUSINESS OBSERVER

Swillerbees Craft Donuts celebrates grand opening in Ormond Beach

The new store marks an expansion of the Swillerbees brand into Volusia County.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

In its first day of business in Ormond Beach on Monday, Aug. 12, Swillerbees Craft Donuts sold around 300 donuts — all before noon.

Palm Coast resident Dakota Wehde, who co-owns the doughnut bakery alongside his parents, Mike and Holly Wehde, said a line had formed outside by 5:40 a.m. Located at 200 E. Granada Blvd., the Swillerbees in Ormond Beach is the family’s third store. It also marks their expansion into the Volusia market.

“This community has such a unique feel, much like Flagler has its unique feel,” Dakota Wehde said. “Juts being here, you can really feel how close-knit this community is and we’re really excited to be a part of that.”

The Wehde family bought the Swillerbees store in Flagler Beach three years ago, opening a second location in Palm Coast last year. The family also owns the Waffle Cone ice cream shop in Flagler Beach. The storefront at 200 E. Granada

Blvd. in Ormond Beach had been vacant since Donnie’s Donuts closed in January to consolidate operations at its One Daytona location. The Wehdes were then approached by the building’s landlords, and the Swilllerbees Ormond Beach location was born.

The Wehdes have transformed the space, rebuilding and moving counters to make the seating area more spacious. In addition to new flooring, a children’s play area — featuring toy doughnuts — was added. Swillerbees in Ormond also features a drive-thru.

After opening the Palm Coast Swillerbees location last year, as well as a new Waffle Cone store in Jacksonville, Mike Wehde said he and his wife were going into “rest mode.” But, their son was inspired to keep

going.

“We just love what God’s doing through Dakota and through this new team, and watching the new team come together,” Mike Wehde said. “That’s a big part of what we do and what Dakota does well too, is bringing culture with teams. We’re not just serving dougnuts and breakfast sandwiches. We’re creating a great culture, where people feel loved, valued and known.”

That’s the Swillerbees motto.

“We really believe in loving our employees,” Holly Wehde said. “We love them first and then it trickles over onto the customers.”

Ormond Beach store manager Natalia Kurdziel first started working for the Wehdes five years ago at the Flagler Beach Waffle Cone. Opening the Ormond Beach Swillerbees store

feels surreal, she said.

“The other day, we were just in here making sure everything was prepared, and the last night, we were leaving and I was like, ‘Wow, I get to actually come in here and work tomorrow,’” Kurdziel said. “I get to meet who’s going to become our new regulars. I get to see how the new equipment works. It’s been really exciting.”

Dakota Wehde said they have felt the enthusiasm in the community for Swillerbees since taking part in Taste of Ormond in May.

“We can’t wait to also integrate ourselves more and more with the community and make them feel loved, valued and known,” he said. Swillerbees is open daily from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Daytona Beach International Airport adds Breeze Airways as new carrier

The airline will begin flying between Daytona Beach and Westchester County, New York, starting Nov. 14.

Three more routes will be added in February 2025.

SUZANNE MCCARTHY

Daytona Beach International Airport announced the addition of a new carrier — Breeze Airways, which

this winter, and I’m happy to tell you that Daytona Beach is in for a seriously nice Breeze,” said Brian McCormick, director of airport properties for Breeze Airways.

The airline’s four routes are estimated to have an economic impact of more than $21 million a year in the Daytona Beach region.

Breeze Airways was ranked in the top 5 of Travel + Leisure’s “Best Domestic Airlines” for the third year in a row, offering premium seating options and high-speed WiFi on its fleet of brand new 137 seat Airbus A220-300 aircraft.

“Our air service development

Swillerbees is offering a “Cookie Crumble” doughnut, filled with cookie dough, for the month of August.

Savannah Wehde, Dakota Wehde, Natalia Kurdziel, Holly and Mike Wehde. Photos by Jarleene Almenas

Brian McCormick is presented with a cake from Daytona Beach International Airport officials after the Breeze Airways announcement. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy

Karen Feaster, Brian McCormick and Joanne Magley listen as County Manager George Recktenwald speaks at the announcement event. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy

See Representative for full warranty

*One coupon per household. No

AR 366920923, AZ ROC 344027, CA 1035795, CT HIC.0671520, FL CBC056678, IA C127230, ID RCE-51604, LA 559544, MA 176447, MD MHIC111225, MI 262300173, 262300318, 262300328, 262300329, 262300330, 262300331, MN IR731804, MT 226192, ND 47304, NE 50145-22, 50145-23, NJ 13VH09953900, NM 408693, NV 86990, NY H-19114, H-52229, OR 218294, PA 179643, 069383, RI GC-41354, TN 10981, UT 10783658-5501, VA 2705169445, WA LEAFFNW822JZ, WV WV056912.

BIZ BUZZ

Health care industry is top employer in Flagler County

New data from Flagler County’s Economic Development Office and Florida Commerce confirm health care employment has become the No. 1 industry sector in Flagler County, surpassing accommodation and food services for the first time.

“Research from the Palm Coast Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce has consistently suggested our region focus on diversifying our economy by creating betterpaying health care jobs,” Greg Blosé, president and CEO of Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce said in a press release by the Chamber.

“With our public and private sector partners leading the way over the past three years, we have successfully grown the health care industry in Flagler County. This is a huge accomplishment and shows the power of our community when we work together.”

Denyse Bales-Chubb, president/CEO of the AdventHealth market in Flagler and St. Johns counties, said, “For over two decades, we’ve been dedicated to serving our community, and we are proud of our role in reaching this new milestone of health care becoming the largest job creator in Flagler County.

“A year ago, we opened the county’s second hospital, marking a $167 million investment in our growing community’s infrastructure. This second hospital answered a great need in our community because as our community has grown, so has the need for additional health care services. In addition, our two hospitals had significant increases in patients seeking care last year, which led us to hire more team members and physicians, with even more on the way.”

According to the Bureau of Workforce Statistics and Economic Research, the top three employment industry sectors in Flagler County are:

1. Health care and social services — 4,396

2. Accommodation and food services — 4,304

3. Retail trade – 4,297 Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin said the growth of the health care industry is not just about the numbers.

“It’s about enhancing the quality of life for our residents and creating viable, well-paying jobs,” Alfin said. “As we continue to grow and diversify our economy, Palm Coast has emerged as a regional destination for health care training and technology, further positioning our community at the forefront of innovation and excellence.”

Community Foundation, United Way adds board members

The Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties have announced new additions to their board of directors.

“We are thrilled to welcome new members to our Board of Directors,” said Courtney Edgcomb, president and CEO of Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties. “Their diverse experiences and fresh perspectives will undoubtedly strengthen our efforts and drive meaning-

ful progress. Together, we will continue to innovate and create positive change for our organization and the community we serve.”

Joining the board are:

„ Michelle Alvarez, a CPA who has worked at Brown & Brown Insurance since 2017 and is currently the finance and operations leader. Passionate about financial literacy and stability, Alvarez looks forward to bringing insight into the Financial and IDEA+ committees

„ Ann Boughtin, president and owner of Ann Boughtin Consulting, has been involved with several different local United Ways over the years. Boughtin specializes in strategic planning and mental health, with particular interests surrounding behavioral health of those facing challenges living in poverty.

„ LaToya Carey started her career with 14 years in the banking industry, before founding Kenneth Grant Inzpirations. As co-owner, creative director, and chief experience & operations officer of KGI, Carey enjoys advocating for the underserved community.

„ Edward Dimayuga, an attorney at Legacy Law that provides estate planning, guardianship and special needs legal services. Dimayuga previously worked as the special projects pro bono coordinator for Legal Aid Society of Orange County Bar, taught Chinese to undergraduate students, and many other community opportunities.

„ Glysobel “Bella” Hernandez, branch VP of the Orange Coun-

ty VyStar Credit Union Branch, presents skills in risk management, customer service, banking, sales, and leadership. With interests in education, financial stability, and health, Hernandez aims to support community services to strengthen communities and reduce poverty.

„ Brian McMillan, publisher of the Palm Coast Observer and Ormond Beach Observer, has more than 12 years of experience as a journalist. With five children of his own, McMillan believes every child needs encouragement and looks forward to assisting the Brand Ambassadors, Corporate Engagement, and Donor Engagement Committees.

„ Doug Reece has 16 years of experience in the banking industry and currently holds the title of commercial lender at Intracoastal Bank. Doug is passionate about tackling substance use issues and how to successfully divert individuals to prevent recidivism.

“We are delighted to welcome our new board members. As an organization that values innovation and fundraising, these individuals exemplify the direction we are heading while also serving as thought leaders,” Board Chair Jan Miller said. “I can tell they are excited to start!”

Parkside Realty in Palm Coast adds broker associate

Parkside Realty — located at 145 City Place, Suite 104, Palm Coast — has announced the addition of Cliff Colby as a broker associate to its team. Colby brings over a decade of experience in Florida real estate.

Originally from Maine, Colby has also been a real estate instructor, owning and operating a real estate school.

“My work habits were forged early — growing up on a farm with milking cows and vegetable fields. I carry that work ethic with me,” he said in a press release.

Colby’s diverse background

includes earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, traveling the world and owning several small businesses. He also continues to play in a rock band.

“We are excited to welcome Cliff Colby to our team,” said Lauren McPherson, owner of Parkside. “His extensive experience, dedication and unique approach to real estate are sure to provide exceptional service to our clients.”

Inaugural Flagler County Expo highlights Black entrepreneurs

In celebration of National Black Business Month, The African American Entrepreneurs Association co-hosted the inaugural Flagler County Expo on Aug. 7 at the African American Cultural Society in Palm Coast.

AAEA founder and CEO Leslie Giscombe presented Jerusha Logan with the organization’s first Community Leader of the Year award.

“Her leadership and dedication inspire everyone,” Giscombe said.

The event shined a spotlight on local Black entrepreneurs and provided opportunities for networking, education and business growth. Local entrepreneurs, business leaders and public officials participated in the expo.

Attendees had the opportunity to connect with local Black-owned businesses, access educational resources and gain information critical to thriving in today’s competitive marketplace.

Connie Reid of Have Faith Designs said she is new to Palm Coast and the expo gave her a chance to network.

“Participating (in the event) was a pleasure,” she said.

“The information given by Mr. Giscombe was very informative regarding registering your business, attending lectures and getting help with writing a business plan. I look forward to participating in next year’s AAEA National Black Business Month Event.”

“We are thrilled to have cohosted this significant event during National Black Business Month,” Giscombe said “The Flagler County Expo is just the beginning of our efforts to uplift and empower Black entrepreneurs in our region. We look forward to continuing this momentum and fostering an environment where all businesses can succeed.”

Partnership leads Florida Eye Specialists to Palm Coast

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING CITY OF BUNNELL,

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING CITY OF BUNNELL, FLORIDA

FLORIDA

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE CITY OF BUNNELL, FLORIDA will hold a Public Hearing as authorized by law at 7:00 P.M. on the 26th day of August 2024, for the purpose of Second and Final Reading of Ordinance 2024-15, before the City Commission, in the Chambers Meeting Room of the Flagler County Government Services Building (GSB) located at 1769 East Moody Blvd, Bunnell, Florida 32110.

ORDINANCE 2024-15

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BUNNELL, FLORIDA AMENDING THE CITY OF BUNNELL LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE; PROVIDING FOR AMENDMENT TO SECTION 18-52 WETLANDS; PROVIDING FOR AMENDMENT TO VARIOUS SECTIONS WITHIN CHAPTER 34 – ZONING; PROVIDING FOR LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTING PROVISIONS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND APPLICABILITY; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE as may be legally permitted on the day of the meeting. Instructions on how to participate by electronic or other means, if legally permitted, would be found on the City of Bunnell’s website at www.bunnellcity.us on the homepage. The public is advised to check the City’s website for up-to-date information on any changes to the manner in which the meeting will be held and the location. The failure of a person to appear during said hearing and comment on or object to the proposed Ordinance, either in person or in writing, might preclude the ability of such person to contest the Ordinance at a later date. A copy of all pertinent information this ordinance can be obtained at the office of the Bunnell Customer Service Office, 604 E. Moody Blvd. Unit 6, Bunnell, FL 32110. Persons with disabilities needing assistance to attend this proceeding should contact the Bunnell City Clerk at (386) 437-7500 x 5 at least 48-business hours prior to the meeting.

NOTICE: If a person decides to appeal any decision made by the City Commission on this matter a recording of the proceeding may be needed and for such purposes the person may need to ensure that a verbatim record is made which includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is based. (Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE CITY OF BUNNELL, FLORIDA will hold a Public Hearing as authorized by law at 7:00 PM on the 26th day of August 2024, for the purpose of Second and Final Reading of Ordinance 202412, before the City Commission, in the Chambers Meeting Room of the Flagler County Government Services Building (GSB) located at 1769 East Moody Blvd, Bunnell, Florida 32110.

ORDINANCE 2024-12

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BUNNELL, FLORIDA PROVIDING FOR THE REZONING OF CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 31,174± ACRES WITHIN THE CITY OF BUNNELL LIMITS AS DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT “B”; PROVIDING FOR THE TAKING OF IMPLEMENTING ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS; PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF MAPS BY REFERENCE; REPEALING ALL CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR NON-CODIFICATION AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE as may be legally permitted on the day of the meeting. Instructions on how to participate by electronic or other means, if legally permitted, would be found on the City of Bunnell’s website at www.bunnellcity.us on the homepage. The public is advised to check the City’s website for up-to-date information on any changes to the manner in which the meeting will be held and the location. The failure of a person to appear during said hearing and comment on or object to the proposed Ordinance, either in person or in writing, might preclude the ability of such person to contest the Ordinance at a later date. A copy of all pertinent information this ordinance can be obtained at the office of the Bunnell Customer Service Office, 604 E. Moody Blvd. Unit 6, Bunnell, FL 32110. Persons with disabilities needing assistance to attend this proceeding should contact the Bunnell City Clerk at (386) 437-7500 x 5 at least 48-business hours prior to the meeting.

NOTICE: If a person decides to appeal any decision made by the City Commission on this matter a recording of the proceeding may be needed and for such purposes the person may need to ensure that a verbatim record is made which includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is based. (Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes)

Florida Eye Specialists and Atlantic Eye Center, a Palm Coast practice founded by Dr. Alexandra Kostick in 1996, are now working together to improve access to specialty eye care in the Volusia and Flagler areas. With this partnership, Atlantic Eye Center joins the Florida Eye Specialists network, including nearby Ormond Beach clinic International Eye Associates. Atlantic Eye Center’s team includes ophthalmologists Kenzo J. Koike and Joanne Francis, a fellowship-trained ophthalmologist specializing in cataract and cornea surgery, along with optometrist Christine L. Burke. Together, they offer a comprehensive range of eye care services, including treatment for cataracts, cornea issues, dry eye, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and general ophthalmology.

As part of this expansion, Florida Eye Specialists has added three state-of-the-art Light Delivery Devices to clinics in the area, including Palm Coast and St. Augustine. These cutting-edge devices are used for precise vision adjustments after cataract surgery with the Light Adjustable Lens.

INSERTION

PUBLIC MEETING

FLORIDA

FLORIDA

ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BUNNELL, FLORIDA FOR THE

CONTRACTION (DEANNEXATION) OF THE CITY BOUNDARY BY DEANNEXING 5.0+/- ACRES MORE OR LESS OF REAL PROPERTY, GENERALLY LOCATED NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN COUNTY ROAD 304 AND OLD HAW CREEK ROAD, MORE PARTICULARLY AND LEGALLY DESCRIBED ON EXHIBIT A, ATTACHED HERETO AND FULLY INCORPORATED HEREIN BY THIS REFERENCE; PROVIDING FOR THE AMENDMENT OF CITY BOUNDARIES TO CONTRACT THE SUBJECT PROPERTIES FROM THE CITY BOUNDARIES; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF PRIOR INCONSISTENT ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE as may be legally permitted on the day of the meeting. Instructions on how to participate by electronic or other means, if legally permitted, would be found on the City of Bunnell’s website at www.bunnellcity.us

Latoya Carey, Doug Reece, Brian McMillan, Bella Hernandez, Michelle Alvares and Edward Dimayuga. Courtesy photo

AAEA founder and CEO Leslie Giscombe and Jerusha Logan. Courtesy photo

Cliff Colby. Courtesy photo

Non Sequitur

Nancy

Mother Goose and Grimm

The Duplex

In the Bleachers

Cornered

Ziggy

The Fusco Brothers

SPORTS

Game week

Klein leads

MICHELE MEYERS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Seabreeze head football coach Mike Klein held practice in the high school cafeteria on Monday, Aug. 12, as an afternoon thunderstorm flooded the practice field. The team only had four more practice days left until the preseason Kickoff Classic game against Astronaut High School of Titusville on Friday, Aug. 16.

Klein said it was a very good indoor practice day. The players were focused on what needed to be accomplished, even though they were in a confined space. Since becoming the head coach at the end of April, he said the players have made a lot of progress and are now working together as a team — not as individuals.

Klein said they are ready to play.

“We got a lot of good stuff done,” he said. “We all know what we are here to do. It’s now game week. We all know why we trained all summer, why we’ve gone through weeks

of camp, why we’ve been out in the heat running around and pushing ourselves — nearly dying out there. This is why. Today was a great step for us. We had a lot of growth today.”

Astronaut’s head coach is Logan Hallock, who took over the position in January 2023. Hallock was the offensive coordinator at DeLand High School when Klein was the defensive coordinator. Klein said he is familiar with his coaching style and usage of the Darlington sweep — a single wing offense named after coach Rick Darlington of Apopka High School.

Klein had to make adjustments to the lineup following the transfer of quarterback Hayden Hayes and linebacker Jesse Shirley. Defensive and tight end Brody Boda is also out this season due to a torn ACL, sustained while playing tight end at a football camp.

“I was looking forward to a good season at Seabreeze on both the offense and the defensive side of the ball,” Boda said. “I think the team will have a good season this year. They have a really bright future with coach Klein at the helm.”

Going into the season, Klein said

he will rely on key players — new quarterback Zachary Voltaire, wide receiver Dylan Hayes, Brogan Kelly and senior tackle Luke Cloer.

Voltaire is a junior and was a cornerback before taking on the challenge of becoming the team’s starting quarterback. He said the team has put in enough work all summer to take the win against Astronaut.

“Being around this environment makes me feel pretty good,” he said. “I love the enthusiasm. I am excited to be Seabreeze’s starting quarterback.”

Receiver coach Mark Lewis will be relying on sophomore wide receiver Caiden Smith who led the Seabreeze junior varsity in receiving last year and was called up to varsity midseason. He said he is a complete athlete who plays baseball and basketball for Seabreeze, as well.

“Caiden is a great combination of size, speed and quickness,” Lewis said. “He’s also got those intangibles that I can’t coach. I believe that when his high school career is over, he’ll rank with some of the great receivers to have played in this program.”

This will be Cloer’s fourth year playing at Seabreeze. At 6’5” and 295 pounds, he adds size and strength to the offensive and defensive line. Klein said he is not only a key player but a team leader.

“I feel great about this team,” Cloer said. “Mental-wise, ethicwise, work-wise, we are one of the strongest teams in the county. I’m not saying this just because it’s the go-to answer, I seriously think this is one of the best teams in the county. Week in and week out, this team will be the team to play.” Cloer is projected to play in college

and has had offers from the University of Pittsburgh, Valdosta State and Highland Community College. This year, he said his goal is to be selected for the All-State team.

“I want to get All-State — not just for myself but for my teammates,” he said. “It’s a misconception that you need five stars to be all-state. I want to give my teammates an example to follow.”

He said Astronaut is not a “push around” team.

“Astronaut is not one of the strongest teams and not one of the weakest teams but we have been treating them as one of the top contenders because that’s how we have to beat everyone,” he said. “I want to talk about the Spruce Creek game. I believe it’s been 13 years since we beat Creek. Let me just say it’s going to end there.”

“I think the team will have a good season this year. They have a really bright future with coach Klein at the helm.”

BRODY BODA defensive and tight end

‘Crabs into Kickoff Classic on Friday.

The Seabreeze football team practices in the cafeteria.

Seabreeze head football coach Mike Klein talks to his players before they run through drills during indoor practice.

Seabreeze offensive coordinator Doug Pettit goes over details with his players before they run drills.

The Seabreeze football team practices in the cafeteria as a summer storm blows through Ormond Beach. Photos by Michele Meyers

Gilyard named to UC Hall of Fame

Flagler Palm Coast alum

Mardy Gilyard will be inducted into the University of Cincinnati’s Athletics Hall of fame. Gilyard is one of eight members of the 2024 class. Gilyard helped lead Cincinnati to back-to-back Big East football championships in 2008 and 2009. He was the conference’s Special Teams Player of the Year both of the years and was a first team AllAmerican receiver and kick returner.

He finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2009 when he led the Bearcats to an undefeated regular season on the way to the Sugar Bowl. He went on to play for the Rams, Eagles and Jets in the NFL.

Matanzas golfers receive new clubs

The Matanzas boys and girls golf teams got a treat a week before their first match.

The two teams received a total of over $8,000 in golf equipment to use in the upcoming season.

Drive Fore the Future Foundation donated eight sets of Callaway golf clubs and bags to the teams plus 50 team polos, golf balls, tees and T-shirts.

The boys team received four sets

of men’s right-handed clubs and one set of men’s left-handed clubs.

The girls team received three seets of women’s right-handed clubs.

The boys team, with new head coach Ethan Buchanan, begins the

on Aug. 20

Running for a good cause

Palm Coast resident Victoria Rodriguez never ran in a marathon before.

She plans to run in the New York City Marathon on Nov. 3 in honor of her mother, Linda, who celebrated her fifth anniversary on March 13 of receiving a heart transplant.

Rodriguez is running as part of Team Heart and Stroke for the American Heart Association. There were 120 applicants for a spot on the team, Rodriguez said, and she was one of 45 who were selected.

As part of the team she has committed to raise $5,000 for the the AHA. So far she has raised $3,736.

Her deadline is Oct. 22.

“My mom is a huge important part of my life and has been a Palm Coast resident for over 20 years now,”

Rodriguez said.

Five years ago, Rodriguez thought she lost Linda. Now, every day is a blessing, Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez has been training since March. Her goal is to finish the 26.2 miles in just over six hours.

While she is training for a marathon, she is in a sprint to be able to finish her fund-raising commitment for a cause that is very dear to her.

“It was truly amazing to watch my mom heal and have a second chance at life,” Rodriguez said.

To help Rodriguez reach her goal, go to https://bit.ly/4fGtJcn.

By Luis Campos

are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another. “S OPSFI YDEO CMKGZVE RDBML MDUZ, KO DFZ EOKAZ SF OPZSV JKVZZV, OD EKG, ‘S’UZ XZZF FD. 1 SF OPZ RDVML.’” OZFFSE CMKGZV KFLG YBVVKG

“ZKA TAYFZK MD P DOTI VKMSTX CA XOEAGZTH EATPZAX ZM ZKA AYXSEPYGA MD ZKA KSIPY CTPXXAE.” PTDEAX KOZGKGMGJ

“O YBGXPX OG B ZHIOFR VBZR CPBI BGX RYP ZRDXOK XOXG’R HYBGUP KGP NKIX. RYP NKIX RYPC XOXG’R HYBGUP NBZ KG FBUP 87.” ZRPTP JBIROG © 2024 NEA, Inc.

SOMEHOW YOU’LL MANAGE by Sam Koperwas and Jeff Chen, edited by Jeff Chen

season

against Seabreeze at Palm Harbor Golf Club. The girls open on Aug. 27 against Flagler Palm Coast.

The Matanzas boys and girls golf teams with their new Callaway golf clubs donated by Drive Fore The Future. Courtesy photos

Mardy Gilyard

Victoria Rodriguez with her mother, Linda Rodriguez, who celebrated her fifth anniversary of her heart transplant earlier this year.

SECOND INSERTION

MORTGAGE FUNDING TRUST, SERIES 2005-1, NOVASTAR HOME EQUITY LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-1, Plaintiff, vs. JACK ABERMAN, ET AL. Defendants

To the following Defendant(s): JACK ABERMAN (CURRENT RESIDENCE UNKNOWN)

Last Known Address: 311 N HOLLYWOOD DRIVE ½, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32119

Additional Address: 442 N PENINSULA DR, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32118

Additional Address: 428 NORTH PENINSULA DRIVE, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32118

REQUESTS FOR ACCOMMODATIONS BY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES If you are a person with a disability who needs an accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact Court Administration, 125 E. Orange Ave., Ste. 300, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, (386) 257-6096, at least 7 days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the appearance is less than 7 days; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711.

THESE ARE NOT COURT INFORMATION NUMBERS SOLICITUD DE ADAPTACIONES PARA PERSONAS CON DISCAPACIDADES Si usted es una person con discapacidad que necesita una adaptación para poder participar en este procedimiento, usted tiene el derecho a que se le proporcione cierta asistencia, sin incurrir en gastos. Comuníquese con la Oficina de Administración Judicial (Court Administration), 125 E. Orange Ave., Ste. 300, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, (386) 2576096, con no menos de 7 dias de antelación de su cita de comparecencia ante el juez, o de inmediato al recibir esta notificación si la cita de comparecencia está dentro de un plazo menos de 7 días ; si usted tiene una discapacidad del habla o del oído, llame al 711. ESTOS NUMEROS TELEFONICOS

NO SON PARA OBTENER INFORMACION JUDICIAL WITNESS my hand and the seal of this Court this 2 day of August, 2024 Laura E. Roth VOLUSIA COUNTY CLERK OF COURT (SEAL) By /s/ Jennifer M. Hamilton As Deputy Clerk J. Anthony Van Ness, Esq. VAN NESS LAW FIRM, PLC Attorney for the Plaintiff 1239 E. NEWPORT CENTER DRIVE, SUITE #110 DEERFIELD BEACH, FL 33442

PHH19184-23/cam August 8, 15, 2024 24-00403I

Additional Address: 4 WIDMER CIR , DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32118 YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an action for Foreclosure of Mortgage on the following described property: THE EASTERLY 80 FEET OF THE SOUTHERLY 1/2 OF LOT 2 AND THE EASTERLY 80 FEET OF THE NORTHERLY 10 FEET OF LOT 3, BLOCK 11, PLAN OF MEMENTO, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED IN DEED BOOK O, PAGE 692, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA. A/K/A 311 N HOLLYWOOD DRIVE 1/2, DAYTONA BEACH FL 32119 has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to J. Anthony Van Ness, Esq. at VAN NESS LAW FIRM, PLC, Attorney for the Plaintiff, whose address is 1239 E. NEWPORT CENTER DRIVE, SUITE #110, DEERFIELD BEACH, FL 33442 on or before SEP 16 2024 and file the original with the Clerk of this Court either before service on Plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint. This notice is provided to Administrative Order No. 2065. If you are a person with a disability who needs an accommodation in order to access court facilities or participate in a court proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. To request such an accommodation, please contact Court Administration in advance of the date the service is needed: Court Administration, 125 E. Orange Ave., Ste. 300, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, (386) 257-6096. Hearing or voice impaired, please call 711.

and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served, must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA

SECOND INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2023 12587 PRDL Division 10 IN RE: ESTATE OF ROOSEVELT L. ROLLS, aka ROOSEVELT LEE ROLLS, JR. Deceased. The administration of the estate of Roosevelt