Seawall construction delayed
Though construction on the second of two buried seawalls to protect State Road A1A was set to begin on Sept. 3 the Florida Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that its start date has been delayed to Monday, Sept. 9, when the contractor will place temporary asphalt along southbound A1A to accommodate a slight traffic shift.
“As soon as Sept. 9 and 10, drivers should expect a rolling daytime lane closure with flagging operations from just north of Marlin Drive to just south of Sunrise Avenue,” an FDOT press release states. The seawall will stretch from Sunrise Avenue to Marlin Drive in Ormond-bythe-Sea. In March, FDOT began construction on a seawall in Flagler Beach. Together, the two seawalls will span about 2.6 miles of A1A. The purpose of the seawalls is to provide longterm protection against future storms and erosion, according to FDOT. The next steps in construction will involve clearing vegetation from dunes and adding sand. Drilling the piles for the wall is expected to start in the fall.
Mum’s the word on Belvedere Terminals’ plans for a fuel farm in Ormond Beach.
Despite a $10 million allocation from the state to help relocate the project, Volusia County officials haven’t heard from the company in several months. On Aug. 28, over six months after Belvedere Terminals submitted a conceptual site plan application to the county, County Manager George Recktenwald wrote a letter to Belvedere Terminals CEO Edwin Cothron seeking to discuss the project.
“After several attempts to reach you and your associate, Noah Valenstein, via phone, I continue to seek information from you, or any of your associates, to ascertain Belvedere’s intentions with regard to the site in Ormond Beach or any other alterna-
tive site you may have identified,” Recktenwald wrote.
Valenstein, a lobbyst, is a former secretary for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the former chief resilience officer for the state.
Recktenwald’s letter comes a month after Belvedere Terminals submitted an Environmental Resource Permit to FDEP, an administrative step, according to the county’s website tracking new developments regarding Belvedere Terminals’ fuel farm proposal.
The county submitted written comments on the ERP application, noting discrepancies in wetland impacts.
The $10 million state allocation is aimed to help Belvedere Terminals relocate to a different site within
Volusia, Flagler or Brevard counties.
“Please know the resolution to this issue is of paramount importance to the county and the residents in Ormond Beach and I stand ready to discuss further at your convenience,” Recktenwald wrote.
In an email to the Observer, Ormond Beach resident Elena Krafft noted that it’s been over 80 days since the state allocated the $10 million for the project’s relocation.
“Our community is holding its breath until a decision is made and it’s really a sign of deep disrespect for them to keep us in limbo for this long,” Krafft said. “This company is proving how little regard they have for Ormond Beach each day that passes without an answer.”
“They need to be allowed to continue their work. They can tell us when they’re done. At least give them another year.” County Council Chair Jeff Brower on ENRAC committee. See Page 4A
FDEP to pave road inside Tomoka State Park in $1.5 million project
JARLEENE ALMENAS
MANAGING EDITOR
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection may soon pave a 1.5-mile stretch of dirt road inside Tomoka State Park — a project that some locals say will bring negative environmental and archeological consequences, and one whose $1.5 million funds could be best used to address other park needs.
On Jan. 3, 2023, FDEP assigned a work plan for the project, assigning an engineering consultant. The completed design plans were submitted on Feb. 1 of this year, and the project went out for bid in April, according to a listing on MyFloridaMarketPlace, a vendor portal used by the state for projects. Bidding closed on May 8. A search of FDEP’s current permits under review did not reveal that a building permit has been issued to date.
This took place mostly unbeknownst to the park’s many volunteers and engaged community members, including the Friends of Tomoka Basin State Parks, the citizen support organization specifically formed to advocate for the local state parks. Most found out about it in recent weeks.
That’s one of the most frustrating aspects of the project, said Suzanne Scheiber, founder of environmental advocacy organization Dream Green Volusia.
“I don’t think anyone would know if some of the park rangers [hadn’t] talked about it amongst themselves and to a handful of people,” Scheiber said. “It’s frustrating that the members of the Friends of Tomoka didn’t find out before now. I think that the lack of transparency to date has just been troubling.”
According to information provided to Scheiber by Park Manager Terri Newmans, the project was first proposed in 2012 when a Unit Management Plan for Tomoka State Park, Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park, Bulow Creek State Park and Addison Blockhouse Historic State Park was created. The plan “serves as the basic statement of policy and direction for the management of the Tomoka Basin State Parks as a unit of Florida’s state park system. It identifies the goals, objectives, actions and criteria or standards that guide each aspect of park administration, and sets forth the specific measures that will be implemented to meet management objectives and provide balanced public utilization,” according to the document.
FDEP held a public workshop and an advisory group meeting in 2012. The Tomoka Basin State Park Unit Management Plan was due to be updated in 2022. This was not completed. Despite multiple attempts, beginning on Friday, Aug. 23, FDEP did not respond to the Observer in time for publication.
The 2012 plan recommended not only paving the 1.5-mile stretch of two-lane dirt road from north of the campground to the Chief Tomokie Statute parking area — the project’s scope today, which also includes repaving the entrance of the park — but it allowed for the paving of all roads within Tomoka State Park.
“Although our Unit Management Plan allows for paving all the roads in Tomoka, we are trying to keep the paving minimal and only paving the areas that are the most heavily used and tend to degrade the fastest,” Newmans wrote in her email to Scheiber.
FDEP is hoping to pave the road to stabilize it, which has been in discussion since at least 2008, Newmans wrote.
“During dry periods, the roads become dusty and soft,” she said.
“In some spots it is like driving on the beach in fine sand, creating a hazard for larger vehicles and camping units accessing the park. During wet periods, the roads hold water for multiple days, swales form, and certain sections turn to mud, causing safety and access issues. Former management made numerous attempts to resolve the issues prior to paving, including bringing in a professional grader to attempt to level out the road and capping the road with crushed concrete. However, all attempts have failed, and several have ended up causing more issues.
“We currently attempt to keep the road accessible and safe by grading the road with a tractor and using fill dirt and rock to fill swales and areas prone to become mud or overly soft, however all of our attempts are temporary, and the materials erode with each rain,” Newmans said.
She added that FDEP is working with biologists to ensure that impact to the park’s natural resources are “minimal.” The department is also working with the Division of Historic Resources to ensure cultural resources are protected.
The news of the park paving project is circulating at a time Florida citizens statewide are pushing back against Gov. Ron Desantis’ “Great Outdoors Initiative,” which proposed adding golf courses, resortstyle lodges and pickleball courts to several state parks. On Wednesday, Aug. 28, DeSantis called the plan “half-baked” and said FDEP will gather more public input before moving forward with the initiative.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS
The project work plan recommended a 20-centimeter buffer be maintained “between ground-disturbing activities and the depths at which archaeological materials were identified during the 2022 cultural resource survey.”
What archaeological materials?
In a letter dated June 1, 2023, to FDEP, Alissa Lotane, the state’s Division of Historical Resources director and State Historic Preservation officer, wrote that the proposed roadwork is located within the boundaries of the Nocoroco archaeological site, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It’s also within the boundaries of the Mount Oswald Plantation, which the Division of Historical Resources previously determined was eligible to listed in the register as well. Nocoroco was the name of a Timicua Indian village. According to the Florida State Parks website, Nocoroco was occupied for hundreds of years before Europeans arrived, devastating the Timicua population. In 1766, the land was among 20,000
acres granted to Richard Oswald by the British government. He established the Mount Oswald Plantation and grew indigo, rice, timber, sugar and oranges. The plantation was abandoned in 1785 when Spain regained control of Florida after the American Revolutionary War.
The Nocoroco site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
“If we’re operating so close to archaeological materials in a state park, it does not make sense to proceed,” Scheiber said. “Why would we not just work to protect what we already have and not consider putting it in jeopardy?”
PARK HAS ONGOING EXPENSES
Another concern about the project is the cost — $1.5 million could cover many outstanding park needs, a park volunteer said. The volunteer requested anonymity due to wanting to preserve relationships with park management.
“The Friends group is paying for a lot of the repairs that are being done at the park right now,” the volunteer said. This includes park pavilion repairs, picnic table and bench replacements. The Friends also recently replaced the transmission on a park ranger’s truck.
The recreational hall’s air conditioning unit has been broken since the spring, though that will be repaired in the coming days. The Friends stopped meeting in the hall because the temperatures were so hot. The hall also needs a new roof, and 19 septic systems for the park’s bathrooms are in need of maintenance.
Scheiber, who also volunteers with the Friends and the park, said the hall lacks insulation, which means that electricity bills are higher than they should be, no matter if the unit is replaced.
“There’s a lot of ongoing expenses and then there’s items that just break down,” she said. “When you’re running a park and everything is outside, and we’re living in this climate, it is difficult for them to keep everything up and it’s a constant expense to the park just to run the park itself.”
That’s partly why the paving project is upsetting, the volunteer said. But it’s also because the volunteer worries paving the road will make the park lose its “old time Florida” feel.
“Paving the road, you lose that old time feel that everybody loves, and not only that, it’s not good for the environment,” the volunteer said. “At least with the sand road, the water has somewhere to go, where on asphalt, ... more flooding is going to happen.”
Flooding on the Ormond Beach Scenic Loop and Trail, off which Tomoka State Park is located, has worsened over time, Scheiber said. This has taken place as more development is built in the area.
“On the north end of Old Dixie Highway, the water runs across the road into the park, so more pavement, more asphalt in that area, even within the park, does not make sense,” Scheiber said.
‘TIMES HAVE CHANGED’
The community should have been given more transparency by FDEP, Scheiber said. She’s not sure that the recommendations outlined in the 2012 Unit Management Plan would be the same today.
“Times have changed,” she said.
“The attitude now with what’s happened in Volusia County and even specifically on the Ormond Scenic
PARK INITIATIVE TO BE REVAMPED
Trying to quell a bipartisan uproar, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday, Aug. 28, that “half-baked” plans to bring golf courses, resortstyle lodges and pickleball courts to state parks will be revamped.
DeSantis said the Department of Environmental Protection will gather more public input before it could move forward with what is dubbed the “Great Outdoors Initiative.”
“Here’s the thing, I’d rather not spend any money on this, right?”
DeSantis said during an appearance at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Operations Center in Winter Haven. “I mean, if people don’t want improvements, then don’t do it. And so, that’ll be something that citizens could be able to do.”
DeSantis added that he didn’t expect plans to advance this year from the department.
“They’re going to go back and basically listen to folks,” DeSantis said. “A lot of that stuff was just half-baked, and it was not ready for prime time when it was.”
Critics of the initiative were pleased, but cautious, about DeSantis’ statements.
Friends of the Everglades put out a news release saying, “Our state parks are safe — for now.”
“We won’t rest easy until the so-called Great Outdoors Initiative is completely dead,” said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades.
Vote Water, also among the environmental groups leading the charge against the proposal, said that, while the proposal hasn’t been completely halted, DeSantis “blinked.”
The uproar started after the department this month issued a news release announcing the initiative and later used socialmedia posts to briefly outline plans for nine parks. Perhaps the biggest target of opponents was a proposal to add three golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County.
DeSantis on Wednesday contended that plans were “leaked” to create a “narrative.”
“It was not approved by me,” DeSantis said. “I never saw that.”
The Department of Environmental Protection’s news release about the plans was titled, “DEP Announces 2024-25 Great Outdoors Initiative to Increase Public Access, Recreation and Lodging at Florida State Parks.”
“Today’s announcement reinforces the DeSantis Administration’s record support for conserving our natural landscapes and commitment to ensuring every Floridian can visit and recreate at Florida’s state parks,” the news release, dated Aug. 19, said. A series of meetings had been
Loop is that so much has been lost and with flooding issues and wildlife displaced, the attitude now is different than it was then.”
With the resident pushback across the state for the governor’s Great Outdoors Initiative, Scheiber said she found the timing of paving the road “questionable.” Roads can lead to future development, she said.
“It feels like everyone’s looking at all the other parks and no one is focused on what’s happening right here in our backyards,” Scheiber said. Dream Green Volusia has orga -
planned this week across the state. But they were postponed Friday after opposition grew quickly from environmental groups, residents and Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
State lawmakers in 2011 also briefly targeted Jonathan Dickinson State Park for a golf course before a similar uproar scuttled legislation.
Tuskegee Dunes Foundation, a little-known organization linked to the new Jonathan Dickinson golf proposal, announced over the weekend it was pulling its plans as “we did not understand the local community landscape and appreciate the clarity.”
The foundation, registered as a corporation in Delaware, lists an Oklahoma address shared with the non-profit veterans group Folds of Honor.
DeSantis met with Folds of Honor founder and CEO Dan Rooney on Aug. 10 and said Wednesday the group could still consider rehabilitating an existing “rundown or abandoned” golf course in the region as a way to help military members and first responders. DeSantis also defended the golf course proposal at Jonathan Dickinson, saying it was being “misrepresented” as taking away unspoiled land from the 11,500acre park, which was once a military base.
“There were almost 1,000 buildings on that base back in the day. There’s still some of the remnants of it,” DeSantis said.
The Jonathan Dickinson land was used for secret radar training during World War II. Called Camp Murphy, the facility was closed in 1944, turned over to the state in 1947 and became a state park in 1950. Few aspects of the camp remain visible to park visitors.
Also drawing heavy bipartisan criticism were proposals to construct lodges with up to 350 rooms at Anastasia State Park in St. Johns County and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Walton County. The Topsail Hill plans also included four pickleball courts and a disc golf course in an “underutilized” area.
Additional cabins, pickleball courts or disc golf were also proposed for Oleta River State Park in Miami-Dade County, Honeymoon Island State Park in Pinellas County, Camp Helen State Park in Bay County, Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Broward County, Grayton Beach State Park in Walton County and Hillsborough River State Park in Hillsborough County.
–JIM TURNER, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
nized a protest against the paving project, to take place at the west end of the Granada Bridge at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4. Some residents will likely speak at the City Commission meeting that evening at 7 p.m. The city and the county are not responsible for this project, but Scheiber is hoping to ask for their support.
“This is not the public versus Tomoka State Park or their staff or volunteers,” Scheiber said. “It’s to do the right thing by the park and to save our green space.”
A motion made by County Councilman David Santiago would have eliminated the Environment and Natural Resources Advisory Board on Dec. 31.
JARLEENE ALMENAS
MANAGING EDITOR
The Volusia County Council made new appointments to its Environment and Natural Resources Advisory Board on Tuesday, Sept. 3 — but not before a motion that would have eliminated the board on Dec. 31, failed due to a tied vote.
After hearing from staff that the board had been given presentations on stormwater, the focus given to the board back in March, County Councilman David Santiago said he was reluctant to reappoint members.
“I think the intent of the council, at least the majority of the council at that time, was to bring this board in to a closure, and I think we’re there,” Santiago said. “I’m prepared to let the terms expire until we need to reactivate them to anything specific. I say ‘Mission accomplished.’”
This was the second time this year council members have discussed sunsetting the board, which was previously active from 1987 to 2003 and was reinstated in 2022 for the purpose of advising the county on minimum standards for environmental protection. In March, after the community pushed back against the council regarding the possibility of several boards being axed, the 14-member ENRAC was directed to focus on flooding and stormwater issues.
But has ENRAC completed its charge? According to one board member, the answer is no. ENRAC has only been able to hold two meetings about flooding, which have been educational, said board member Wendy Anderson at the council meeting. Before starting to discuss flooding, the board had to bring its work on the county’s tree
standards to a pause, and the meetings in June and August were canceled, the first due to staff needing more time to answer board questions and the latter due to a lack of quorum.
“We have not started on policymaking, on actually working on the language of the code,” said Anderson, a professor of environmental science and studies at Stetson University. “We have a lot more work to do.”
Santiago said that, prior to refocusing ENRAC, the board’s scope was “all over the place” and he didn’t see successes coming out of it. When the board was created in 2022, some of the tasks handed over included proposing changes to the county’s tree preservation ordinance, wetland standards, and the implementation of Low-Impact Development standards.
“We don’t need additional layers of government,” Santiago said, adding that the county already has its Planning and Land Development Regulation Commission to review related standards and ordinances.
Councilman Danny Robins agreed.
“I know for me, as long as we are reducing some of these layers of bureaucracy and not having as much overlap, I think we’re heading in a better direction,” Robins said.
Just because the county has minimum standards regarding development, doesn’t mean they are “minimal,” Robins said, citing higher standards compared to the state and federal regulations, an argument he would later raise to Council Chair Jeff Brower during his closing comment, as the chair had said the county needed to change how it developed. Brower, and Councilmen Matt Reinhart and Don Dempsey, were against disbanding ENRAC. Councilman Troy Kent was absent from the meeting.
Dempsey said the board had “heavy hitters” in terms of expertise and pointed out they were all volunteers.
“I
think the intent of the council, at least the majority of the council at that time, was to bring this board in to a closure, and I think we’re there. I’m prepared to let the terms expire until we need to reactivate them to anything specific. I say ‘Mission accomplished.’”
David Santiago, Volusia County Councilman
beneficial and flooding and LID — Low-Impact Development — are two of the most important things we face for our future,” Brower said.
County Councilman Jake Johansson said that disbanding the board wouldn’t mean taking away expertise. He argued that disbanding the board would free the members from being under Sunshine Law constraints, allowing them to meet whenever they’d like and discuss issues, which they can then email the county about.
“I do not foresee any one of these environmental advocates shutting down their email, going home and planting flowers,” he said. “They’re going to keep on emailing us.”
Brower said the council would not be acting responsibly if the board was disbanded. Yes, board members could then meet privately, but synergy would be lost, he said.
“They need to be allowed to continue their work,” Brower said. “They can tell us when they’re done. At least give them another year.”
Volusia County Schools and teacher’s union settle contract
Volusia County Schools and Volusia United Educators Instructional have settled their contract.
Highlights of the agreement include:
An increase in health insurance contribution from $565 per month to $605.
A salary package equaling $7.7 million, which includes:
An increase to the base salary ranging from $531 to $1,460 for 196day employees.
A 3% increase to activity and advanced degree supplements.
A 3% increase to salary stipends.
Increased retention supplement to address continued compression of veteran employees.
“We are very proud of the work that was done to reach this agreement,” VUE President Elizabeth Albert said. “Both teams showed their commitment to creating a collaborative process that resulted in improvements for our instructional staff.”
The next step in the process is to ratify the agreement. The tentative ratification date will occur during the week of Sept. 16.
After ratification, the agreement will be presented to the Volusia County School Board for approval on Sept. 24. At that time, information regarding payment will be distributed.
“We need these people to maybe offer better ideas later on and just to sit here and say, “We don’t need you, we’re smart, we’ll take care of it,’ I think is wrong,” Dempsey said. Brower agreed and said he didn’t believe disbanding ENRAC and handing its duties to the PLDRC and county staff would make the county more efficient.
“I think the information we’re getting from these professionals is really
Because the motion was tied in a 3-3 vote, it failed, reverting back to what the council was first set to vote on: appointing members for another two-year term. Eleven of the incumbents wished to return for a new term, and there is one vacant seat on the board. The council appointed twelve people. Kent will appoint the remaining two at a later date.
“We are proud to have finalized an agreement with VUE Instructional that reaffirms our support for our teachers — the backbone of our district and the key to our students’ success,” Superintendent Dr. Carmen Balgobin said. “This contract encompasses an impressive salary package, helps address salary compression and again underscores our commitment to employee wellness with an enhanced health insurance contribution. Our employees, School Board, partners, community members and VUE all deserve appreciation for their support.”
AUG. 30
6:36 p.m. — 5100 block of State Road 100 East, Palm Coast Petit theft. A 27-year-old Palm Coast man stole four bottles of skincare products while he shopped for cat food at a department store.
Surveillance footage caught the man entering the store and immediately picking out the four bottles of skincare products, including a $45 bottle of sunscreen, according to the suspect’s arrest report. The footage showed the man walking through the store and pocketing the products in his green fanny pack while shopped for his grocery list.
The man actually purchased two gallons of water, a storage bin and cat food, but didn’t pay for any of the products in his fanny pack, the report said. Deputies tracked the man to his address in Palm Coast and placed him under arrest.
SEPT. 1 RACE TO THE FINISH
3:26 a.m. — 5200 block of State Road 100, Palm Coast Racing on highway. A Palm Coast 23-year-old was arrested after a deputy caught him racing a motorcyclist in the early morning hours on State Road 100.
The deputy had already began following the man’s white Dodge truck because he caught the truck going 60 mph in a 50 mph zone, according to an arrest report.
OBPD aims to boost pedestrian and bicycle safety
As Volusia County is among the state’s top 25 counties for pedestrian and bicyclist crashes leading to serious injuries or fatalities, the Ormond Beach Police Department is joining the Florida Department of Transportation’s High Visibility Enforcement program.
Starting now through May 2025, OBPD will have additional officers on patrol at specific corridors with a high occurrence of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes, according to a press release. The HVE program focuses on educating the public about Florida traffic laws to enhance safety on local roads, and local officers are aiming to increase awareness of dangerous behaviors that contribute to serious and fatal injuries. These include speeding, failing to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, conducting improper turns or signal violations, and using handheld devices — such as cellphones — while driving.
Officers will also watch for pedestrians who jaywalk or fail to yield to motorists who have the right of way. OBPD states in its press release that bicyclists will be stopped for riding against traffic, riding at night without lights or not
As the deputy was pacing the truck to measure its speed, the truck pulled up next to a motorcycle near an intersection. At the intersection, the truck and motorcycle began to accelerate event faster, racing each other down the highway until they reached a red traffic signal. The deputy, behind the Dodge, turned on his overhead red and blue lights, but the motorcycle drove through the red light. The light turned green just after and the Dodge continued through the signal, pulling over for the deputy after the intersection, the report said.
The 23-year-old told the deputy he knew he was being pulled over for the speeding and a friendly race, the report said. He was placed under arrest and his Dodge towed.
AUG. 21
RAGE AND THREATS
5:24 p.m. — 200 block of North Nova Road, Ormond Beach
Aggravated assault. Police responded to local shopping plaza’s parking lot after a suspect grabbed an 18-yearold Holly Hill man by the neck following a road rage incident.
Officers spoke with the victim, who reported the road rage incident began on Nova Road and ended in the parking lot when the suspect — who was not the original person the victim was involved with in the road rage incident — approached him and grabbed him by the neck while making threats, according to the police report. This took place while the suspect pointed a baseball bat at the victim’s face.
The victim reported the suspect said, “he had much
abiding by the same laws as motor vehicles. Officers will issue warnings and citations, only when appropriate.
“Whether you are on foot, behind the wheel, or on a bike, you have a responsibility to share the road safely,” OBPD stated in its press release.
“Understanding the rules of the road helps ensure we all arrive at our destination safely and makes our streets safer for everyone.”
Funding for this program is provided through a contract with University of North Florida’s Institute of Police Technology and Management, funded by FDOT. OBPD will receive funds for overtime hours for officers to conduct operations and for special training on Florida’s bicycle and pedestrian laws, procedures and best practices.
more than the bat, he had guns,” and to “be careful because this is a small town,” according to the police report. The victim showed police video footage of the altercation. He wished to pursue charges.
AUG. 22
RECOMMENDATION
DENIED
10:01 a.m. — 700 block of West Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach Information. A 54-year-old man’s car tires were slashed, and he told police he suspected a former employee of his was to blame.
Police report that the man had recently received multiple concerning text messages from the employee, whom he had fired. In the texts, the ex-employee requested a recommendation several times, following up by calling the man “insulting names,” according to an incident report. The man told him that he would not be giving him a recommendation due to his behavior, and the ex-employee continued to grow upset, saying he would come to the office in person.
The man texted back that if he did, police would be called to trespass him.
In the texts, the ex-employee said he wasn’t worried about the trespass order and thought it “would be a nice form of ‘memorabilia’ for working here,” the report states.
This exchange took place after the man’s tires were slashed on Aug. 19. The man had no video of the incident, however. Police advised him that they would conduct extra patrols in the area.
aerial apparatus, focusing on precision, speed, and teamwork,” the post stated. “This hands-on experience ensures that our team is always prepared to effectively deploy these lifesaving tools under the most challenging conditions.”
Firefighters practiced positioning quint fire trucks, simulating rescues and more. From Monday, Aug. 26 to Wednesday, Aug. 28, the training took part at the Ormond Renaissance Condominiums.
“This training reinforces our commitment to protecting our community with the highest level of skill and professionalism,” OBFD stated.
Ormond Beach firefighters have spent the month of August training in aerial operations.
In a Facebook post, the Ormond Beach Fire Department explained that aerial operations “are critical in scenarios where access to upper floors is essential, whether for rescue or to establish elevated standpipe operations.”
“During this training, each crew member took turns setting up and operating our
“We’re proud of our team’s dedication to ongoing training and readiness. Your safety is our top priority, and we’re always striving to improve our abilities to serve you better.”
A Mainland High School football game was delayed on Friday, Aug. 30, after a juvenile attempted to enter Daytona Stadium with a firearm, Daytona Beach Police report.
At around 8 p.m., a security guard discovered the firearm during a routine bag inspection at a security checkpoint.
DBPD, who were at the stadium providing security and traffic control for the Cocoa-Mainland game, were notified by the guard, and an officer secured the bag with the firearm and attempted to detain the boy for further investigation.
However, the boy fled on foot and was able to evade apprehension, according to a press release. Two other juveniles who were with the suspect also attempted to flee but were apprehended and charged with resisting arrest.
Police identified the suspect, later arresting him and charging him with disturbing the peace at a school function, possession of a firearm on school property, resisting arrest and theft of a firearm.
The stadium was placed into lockdown while police investigated. Once the stadium was deemed safe, the football game was allowed to resume.
Owner Robert Profeta serves up some Italian family heritage at Profeta’s, located at 1140 W. Granada Blvd.
MICHELE MEYERS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Profeta’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria owner Robert Profeta welcomed patrons to his grand opening as Ella Fitzgerald’s voice filled the dining area with the song “It Don’t Mean a Thing, (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)”.
Ambassadors from the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce attended the event and performed the official ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, August. 26. Lori McMullin, director of Membership Sales and Business Development, addressed the crowd.
“We are elated to be here for the grand opening of Profeta’s,” she said.
“As an Ormondite — I live around the corner — I’m especially thrilled. I can’t wait to eat every dish you have.”
Ormond Beach Zone 1 City Commissioner Lori Tolland also attended the ceremony. Anytime she can support people in the community, she said, she does her best to be there.
“Whenever anybody follows their dreams and passions, works hard toward it and has the support of their family, it’s going to be a success,” Tolland said. “I think he will be a good role model for others. Not everybody has to follow the traditional track. I 100% agree with that because not everyone fits in the same box.”
Profeta said his family history, coupled with a desire to bring genuine Italian food to the area, were
his inspirations to open the restaurant. Both his mother’s and father’s families immigrated from Italy.
His maternal grandfather, Arthur Hagland, was born in Philadelphia but was later stationed in Gaeta, Italy, after being drafted for the Vietnam War. That is where he met and married Profeta’s grandmother, Fernanda, and also owned a bar.
His father was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and his mother’s family traveled from Italy to New Jersey with their final destination being Port Orange, where Hagland owned a restaurant in the ’90s.
“I’m the only one in the family that doesn’t speak Italian,” Profeta said.
Profeta, 22, is a Port Orange native.
He attended Atlantic High School where he took Advanced Placement courses while simultaneously attending Daytona State College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He graduated from high school in 2020 with 60-plus credits. He enrolled at ERAU to become a pilot but switched majors and graduated last year with a bachelor’s degree in aviation logistics and supply chain management.
Profeta said he is always striving to do business and is entrepreneurial by nature. He started an automotive detailing and paint correction company when he was around 18 years old, which he currently owns and operates as Ceramic Touch Detailing, LLC. When he heard the restaurant space was available at 1140 W. Granada Blvd., he said it just made sense.
“I heard the business was shutting down,” he said. “It’s a great location — a beautiful building. The timing was just right for everything.”
The Granada Family Diner closed on July 7, Profeta learned of the closure on July 9 and his restaurant was fully operational by Aug. 26. He said
LOCAL PODCASTER MACY BAXI SHARES STORY ON TEDX STAGE
Macy Baxi launched her first podcast, “What Would You Say to Your Younger Self?” when she was just 17. She introduced her latest podcast, “Why I Love Flagler County,” in 2023 and has interviewed over 180 local business owners and community leaders since then.
On Aug. 31, she shared her inspiring journey on the TEDxCherryCreekHS stage in Cherry Creek, Colorado.
“It was amazing,” said Baxi, who just turned 21. “I talked about intentional conversations. As young adults we should make the most out of every conversation.”
Conversations are the starting point of building relationships, she said.
Baxi is also writing a book titled, “7 Critical Career Skills They Don’t Teach in School,” aimed at preparing the next
“... That’s one of the main things I like to do — interact with the customers so they know this isn’t just some chain, this is real authentic cuisine, owned by somebody.”
and Pizzeria
generation for real-world success.
Baxi said to find the guests for her podcast she goes to every local networking event she can.
“I build friendships and I get referrals as well,” she said.
Baxi was raised in the Detroit suburbs and moved with her family to Palm Coast in 2022.
The TEDxCherryCreekHS is an independent TED event that brings together leading voices to share ideas and stories. Her six-minute TEDx talk won’t be uploaded for a few weeks, she said. For more information, go to tedxcherrycreekhs.com or email Macy Baxi at minesh@mbaxi.com.
The Truist Foundation has donated $20,000 to SCORE to continue mentoring small businesses and nonprofits, according to a press release. SCORE volunteers welcomed Robert Ludlow, Truist market president Volusia/Flagler to SCORE Chapter 87, based out of the UCF Business Incubator in Daytona Beach. In addition, SCORE Chapter 87 has established mentoring offices by appointment at Palm Coast and Ormond Beach City Halls and has worked hand in hand with mentoring the formation of the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Flagler County’s two high schools.
The donation reinforces SCORE’s community commitment by volunteering 3,200 hours annually to support
networking was the reason he was able to open in less than two months.
“One of the biggest things I have learned is that networking is your cheat code for true success,” he said. “If you get to know the people and figure out what they’re skilled at, you could work something with them. It’s having those true networks to where you can really get a project done, not only quickly and efficiently but also, the right way.”
Profeta hired businesses who installed new lighting, decorated the interior, painted and worked on the plumbing and electrical. Through a friend, he hired artist Chloe Bogivec who he commissioned to complete two murals on the domed sections of the ceiling and a business logo that covered one of the front interior walls. He collaborated with chef Jeffrey Miller, who specializes in Ital -
ian and French cuisine, to design a menu which they executed in recipe creation. It included his own Profeta’s house sauce—a sundried tomato parmesan cream sauce. Friends and family were there to support Profeta at the grand opening. Hagland helped customers at the bar, friends Brody Mullikin
played the guitar and sang while Jathan Morgan helped wherever he was needed. Kiro Abdalla, the Volusia Young Professionals marketing chair, said he was there to support young professional entrepreneurship and his best friend.
“He’s been dreaming about this for a while, big time,” Abdalla said. “He’s focusing on bringing that Italian sense and vibe here. We used to talk about how we don’t have an Italian ‘good spot.’ Now all of us are hooked over here. We are going to come here every day and eat.” Profeta said he wants people to feel at home when they walk through the door. He wants the community to know it is a good place to get great Italian food consistently. That means, every time they eat at his restaurant.
“Whenever I go to restaurants, for me personally, I like somebody to come to the table, that’s called tabletouching,” he said. “It’s basically to make sure that the customers got excellent service, find out how everything was and what they would want to improve — the whole nine yards. That’s one of the main things I like to do — interact with the customers so they know this isn’t just some chain, this is real authentic cuisine, owned by somebody.”
Volusia/Flagler clients. SCORE is involved with providing mentoring free of charge to small business start-ups, nonprofits, colleges and high schools. it also has multi-faceted partnerships with local chambers of commerce to support business growth. SCORE is a nationwide nonprofit and resource partner of the U.S.
JARLEENE ALMENAS
Fountain Square Shopping Village in Ormond Beach has added a new store: oHHo Ormond Beach, a botanical wellness and holistic healing
shop selling CBD and organic hemp products. Run by East Coast Botanicals, LLC, the store was opened by Erin Alvalle, a former Volusia County Schools teacher. Having struggled with pain for her entire life, Alvalle found out about the brand after trying one of the products in February.
“It literally took me off pain medicine and changed my life,” Alvalle said. “It just made me feel better. I was a
better teacher, a better mom, a better wife.”
She wondered if there was a possibility to help others the same way, so when she was offered the opportunity to open a store locally, Alvalle took it. She opened oHHo on June 10 at 142 E. Granada Blvd., Suite 6.
Founded by James and Nicola Stephenson, oHHo hemp and CBD products all come from small farms. The products range from CBD gummies — called “Dots” — to chocolate, dog biscuits and THC seltzers.
Alvalle, a resident of Daytona Beach, said she thinks a lot of people are searching for a holistic approach to health these days, and part of her role in operating the store is educating customers on the type of CBD products oHHo offers. This is not a chemical-based CBD company, she said.
“I’m finding that once somebody tries it, and we get them on the right product for them, that they’re coming back for more because they feel good on it and you don’t have any weird side effect with our hemp at all,” Alvalle said.
“... I think when people hear CBD, they think ‘I’m going to have some weird adverse reaction to it,’ as opposed to, ‘It’s just going to make me feel
customers.
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This is a beautiful custom built 3 Bed/2 Bath ICI home, Juliette model, with a Gourmet Kitchen. Flex Room has a Tray Ceiling w/Wood Beams, and Pocket Doors. Extra Large Covered Lanai with Fixed and Electric Screens. Large Extended Screened Lanai w/42’’ door. MLS#1203196 $664,200. Call Vicki Chappell 904-219-9483.
This highly sought-after 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home in the desirable Oak Forest neighborhood is now on the market. Nestled on a picturesque, tree-lined street, this charming residence offers the perfect blend of comfort, style, and convenience. MLS#1202986 $399,000. Call Jim Tobin 386-4054411.
Masterfully renovated 4 bedroom home located in the central park area of Ormond Beach. Beautiful kitchen w/butcher block style counters, Large LG ‘’Knock’’ refrigerator, stainless stove & dishwasher. Smartcore waterproof flooring throughout, New conservation windows w/ a lifetime warranty, 20x25 metal reinforced building. MLS#1202469 $425,000. Call Tom Caffrey 386-290-9233. Wake up to breathtaking sunrises and enjoy the soothing sounds of the Atlantic Ocean in this stunning 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo. Located directly on the beach, this spacious retreat offers panoramic ocean views. The open-concept living area is perfect for entertaining, featuring a modern kitchen w/ stainless steel appliances. MLS#1203198 $430,000. Call Lindsey Wolf 407-432-3849.
Ocean views from your front porch and a very short walk puts your toes in the sand. This fabulous 3 bedroom 1.5 bath house has 1596 sq ft of living space and comes fully furnished. Relax in the living room or entertain in the great room which opens to the outdoor covered paver patio. Not in a flood zone. MLS#1203267 $469,000. Call Debbie & Wayne Carter 386-506-1810.
This Ormond by the sea home is just a short distance from the Intracoastal water way & the Atlantic Ocean. A two-story charmer that offers many possibilities, whether you’re looking for a spacious place to retire, room for the extended family or space for your guests to have a home away from home. MLS#1200561. $650,000. Call Matthew Renshaw 386-566-1233.
better.’”
Her favorite thing about being a business owner is meeting new people, she said.
“I have a lot of people who have been return customers and once I meet you one time, I’m probably going to know your name and remember
what you came in for and what you’re going to need again,” she said.
Alvalle was an educator for 19 years. Being a business owner now means shifting her knowledge of education in a new direction, she said.
“I’ve always loved educat-
ing because you get to see when something starts working for a child,” Alvalle said.
“It’s really honestly the same thing here.”
Alvalle will be hosting a grand opening for oHHo in the near future. Visit https://bit. ly/3APCj8F
Union member says it’s ‘frustrating and discouraging’ to strike for three weeks with no resolution in sight.
SIERRA WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
A multistate district of the United States has 17,000 workers on strike across the Southeast, including in Flagler and Volusia Counties.
The Communications Workers of America is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States, according to its website. Divided into multiple union districts, CWA District 3 — spanning nine states in the Southeast, including Florida — has been on strike against AT&T for three weeks due to unfair labor practices.
In Palm Coast, around 15-20 technicians have protested outside AT&T’s Palm Coast Central Office at 5 Clubhouse Drive since the start of the strike.
CWA District 3 member Robert Oshesky told the Observer that the crux of the issue has been over the breakdown of shared costs for health insurance. All the CWA
District 3 technicians in Florida — including in Palm Coast, Ormond Beach and Daytona — have been striking without pay since Aug. 16.
“The company wants to use the national average for healthcare costs in those equations, and we have statistically always paid less in the southeast,” Oshesky said.
The district renews its contract with AT&T every few years, Oshesky said, since the company bought BellSouth in 2007. When the contract expired in June, union and AT&T representatives met to negotiate the terms of the new contract.
The union went on strike after two months of failed negotiations.
According to the Sept. 2 update from CWA District 3, AT&T has still not offered a “common interest package” that meeds the union’s economic wage demands, “nor did it provide for our benefits and insurance needs.”
Oshesky said the union leadership has now refused to meet with federal negotiators present as the AT&T representatives have been hiding behind them.
“The reports that we have from our leadership says that they’re just not engaged in any anything beyond surface level
negotiations,” Oshesky said.
“I don’t know who specifically AT&T sent to the table, but they they seem to lack the authority to agree on anything.”
The union last went on strike against AT&T in 2019, during the previous contract negotiation. Oshesky said that strike only lasted four days, but there is no end in sight to this strike so far. As it continues, Oshesky said he and the Palm Coast team are working to keep morale up for all the technicians.
It’s a definitely a little heartbreaking, he said, especially for the younger employees, when AT&T advertises that it is a great union employer.
“We’re all concerned with a good deal, a better deal,” he said. “It’s definitely frustrating and discouraging and even embarrassing, to an extent.”
The community has been very supportive, too, he said, with passersby honking to show support and others even bringing the technicians pizza and water.
“We’ve received a quality amount of encouragement from passers by and people pulling over, asking questions and sharing their encouragement,” he said.
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Unhappy
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Ahouse at 2548 S. Ocean Shore Blvd. in Flagler Beach was the top real estate transaction for Aug. 22-28 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. The house sold on Aug. 23, for $1.6 million. Built in 1988, the house is a 5/4 and has ocean views, a separate three-car garage and guesthouse. It sold in 2014 for $480,500.
square feet.
PALM COAST
Plantation Bay
The house at 117 Patric Drive sold on Aug. 27, for $344,000. Built in 2024, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,736 square feet.
Cypress Knoll
The house at 15 Edward Drive sold on Aug. 26, for $500,000. Built in 2006, the house is a 4/2 and has a pool and 2,198 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $449,000.
Grand Landings
The house at 122 Wood Stork Lane sold on Aug. 26, for $648,000. Built in 2021, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool and 2,490 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $419,600.
Indian Trails
The house at 85 Bronson Lane sold on Aug. 23, for $309,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,477 square feet.
The house at 40 Brookside Lane sold on Aug. 26, for $349,000. Built in 2024, the house is a 4/2 and 1,801
Lehigh Woods The house at 30 Riverside Lane sold on Aug. 22, for $392,415. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,992 square feet.
A house to be built at 13 Rodger Place sold on Aug. 23, for $290,990. Once constructed, the house will be a 3/2 and have 1,222 square feet.
A house at 16 Richmond Drive sold on Aug. 23, for $305,000. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,477 square feet.
The house at 4 Rivergate Lane sold on Aug. 26, for $290,000. Built in 2006, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,752 square feet. It last sold in 2006 for $279,500.
Palm Harbor
The house at 19 Faircastle Lane sold on Aug. 23, for $291,000. Built in 1994, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,605 square feet. It last sold in 2022 for $210,000.
The house at 7 Fordham Lane sold on Aug. 23, for
$263,000. Built in 1985, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,415 square feet. It last sold in 2023 for $205,500.
Pine Lakes The house at 55 Westfield Lane sold on Aug. 23, for $175,000. Built in 1992, the house is a 2/2.5 and has 1,560 square feet. It last sold in June for $160,100.
Reverie at Palm Coast
The house at 52 Reverie Drive N. sold on Aug. 26, for $5584,990. Built in 2023, the house is a 3/3.5 and has 2,790 square feet.
Sawmill Branch
The house at 69 Hulett
Woods Road sold on Aug. 23, for $304,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,714 square feet.
The house at 73 Hulett
Woods Road sold on Aug. 26, for $300,000. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,714 square feet.
Sawmill Creek
The house at 87 Rivertown Road sold on Aug. 26, for $320,000. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,714 square feet.
Seminole Woods
The house at 61 Universal Trail sold on Aug. 22, for $307,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,655 square feet.
BUNNELL
Grand Reserve
A house at 48 Bogey Place sold on Aug. 23, sold for $273,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,526 square feet.
John Adams, of Adams, Cameron & Co. Realtors, contributed to this report
Ahouse at 105 La Toscana Rotonda was the top real estate transaction for Aug. 24-30 in Ormond Beach Ormond-by-the-Sea. The house sold on Aug. 29, for $1.425 million. Built in 2017, the house is a 4/3.5 and has a pool and 4,202 square feet.
JARLEENE
ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR
Condos
The condo at 89 S. Atlantic Ave., Unit 405, sold on Aug. 27, for $304,000. Built in 1979, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,200 square feet. It last sold in 1981 for $82,400.
The condo at 2700 Ocean Shore Blvd., Unit 318, sold on Aug. 28, for $230,000. Built in 1986, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,025 square feet. It last sold in 2018 for $189,000.
ORMOND BEACH
Brendale Heights
The house at 79 Fairway Drive sold on Aug. 29, for $690,000. Built in 1967, the house is a 3/3 and has a fireplace and 2,305 square feet. It last sold in 2017 for $425,000.
Country Acres
The house at 290 Golden Saddle Lane sold on Aug. 29, for $780,000. Built in 1999, the house is a 4/3.5 and has a fireplace, pool, detached four-car garage and 2,641 square feet. It last sold in 2012 for $375,000.
Fountain View
A house to be constructed at 1473 Fountain View St. sold on Aug. 27, for $364,990. The house will be a 3/2 and have 1,672 square feet.
Gardens at Addison Oaks
A townhome at 86 Bella Vita Way sold on Aug. 28, for $295,000. Built in 2020, the townhome is a 3/2.5 and has 1,687 square feet. It last sold, pre-construction, in 2019 for $196,500.
Halifax Plantation
The townhome at 3127 Kailani Court sold on Aug. 28, for $320,000. Built in 2002, the townhome is a 3/2 and has 1,684 square feet. It last sold in 2002 for $143,000.
Harbour Lights
The house at 524 Hand Ave. sold on Aug. 29, for $215,000. Built in 1976, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,467 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $159,900.
Lincoln Park
The house at 253 Selden Ave. sold on Aug. 28, for $84,000. Built in 1939, the house is a 2/1 and has 816 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $24,000.
Ormond Lakes The house at 54 Emerald Oaks Lane sold on Aug. 28, for $1.4 million. Built in 2005, the house is a 5/6.5 and has three fireplaces, a pool, spa and 7,020 square feet. It last sold in 2008 for $840,000.
Pine Trails The house at 7 Palmetto Dunes Court sold on Aug. 28, for $459,000. Built in 1997, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace, a barn and 1,828 square feet. It last sold in 2013 for $195,000.
Rima Ridge Ranchettes The house at 80 Cone Road sold on Aug. 27, for $695,000. Built in 1979, the house is a 4/2.5 and has two fireplaces, a detached twostory barn and 3,283 square feet.
Tomoka Oaks The house at 10 Oakmont Circle sold on Aug. 27, for $485,000. Built in 1969, the house is a 4/2 and has a fireplace, pool, spa and 2,123 square feet. It last sold in 2006 for $312,900.
Tymber Crossings The house at 113 Grey Dapple Way sold on Aug. 29, for $385,000. Built in 2004, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,962 square feet. It last sold in 2019 for $253,000.
ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA Regency Manor Estates The house at 7 E. Sovereign Lane sold on Aug. 28, for $490,000. Built in 1973, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool and 2,253 square feet. It last sold in 2004 for $235,000.
John Adams, of Adams, Cameron & Co. Realtors, contributed to this report.
Make yourself at home
Somebody has to ask it: How much is this thing going to cost, anyway?
BRIAN MCMILLAN PUBLISHER
Of all the qualities that made me want to marry Hailey when I met her as an undergrad in college, I don’t immediately think of her physical beauty or her kind disposition, although both made me swoon. The moment that I
POINTE TO HOST CELEBRATIONS
Paradise Pointe Assisted Living and Memory Care is celebrating National Assisted Living Week by commemorating the decades — and the celebrations will feature the music local jazz musician and Paradise Pointe resident Lou Donaldson.
“Officially sponsored by Select Rehabilitation, National Assisted Living Week encourages communities to highlight the dedication of care team members, the individuality of residents, and the deep connections formed in these settings,” a press release states. “It is also a time to both look back at where assisted living has been and look ahead to where we’re
truly fell in love was when I learned that she had completed her homework — get this — a day early. So, during the day in between, after you finish your work, but before you go to class, you just, what? Wait?
We were sitting on a bench on campus on a sunny day, as I remember it, and she gave me a look of pity at my need for a deadline to spur me to action.
Fast forward 22 years, and here we are, owners of a business with so many deadlines that it’s impossible to finish anything a day early.
More importantly, in those 22 years, we have become parents of five children, including 9-year-old Kennedy, who has a solar system project due in about two weeks.
going as a profession.”
Donaldson’s music will be played during a ‘60s themed jazz party for the residents. Donaldson is an awardwinning saxophonist who became known for ushering in the soul jazz/jazz funk era, the press release states. He also wrote and recorded “Alligator Bogaloo” and is an International Jazz Hall of Fame Inductee.
“We are so excited to kickoff this weeklong celebration to not only honor our residents, but also their families and our many care team members,” said Darlinda Copeland, administrator and CEO of Paradise Pointe. “Hosting engaging, fun and meaningful celebrations with our residents and care team members makes a tremendous difference in their lives.”
Goodwill Industries of Central Florida is celebrating the continued success of its “Goodwill Scholars” initiative. This fall, 96 employees are heading to Florida universities and schools to continue their education and develop skills that will support their professional careers.
In 2021, GICF launched the Prosperity Planning Platform, which offers one-on-one coaching to help Goodwill team members and community neighbors identify their goals and access resources to achieve them. A year later, the organization bolstered that program by introducing “Goodwill Scholars,” a new employee scholarship program that fully pre-pays all costs related to education, including tuition, books, and fees. The program is available
Rather than waiting until the night before to start making little planets out of colorful clay, she has followed in the footsteps of her mother: The two of them have already spray-painted black an 18-inch cardboard square to represent the immensity of space, and Kennedy has already crafted a few planets, including Jupiter, complete with storm spot. It wasn’t long before I started to ask that most unpopular of fatherhood questions: How much is this thing going to cost, anyway?
Shouldn’t school projects be, well, free?
Meanwhile, Hailey and Kennedy were conspiring to get this project done as early as possible, regardless of what happened to be on sale at the moment.
“Here are the colors of clay
that you need,” Hailey said, as she texted me a list that I was supposed to take to Hobby Lobby with Kennedy. Gray, yellow, green, orange, white.
“All those?” I asked. I didn’t bother to point out that there were literally zero yellow planets in our solar system, so this must be a mistake.
Hailey, seeing through my veiled frugality, said, threateningly, “Do I need to go?” Resistance was futile. I hung my head and said, “I can do it.”
Without any hesitation, Hailey continued: “We need the sun to be 10 times the size of Jupiter.”
I pictured a grocery cart full of yellow clay, worth the equivalent of a semester of college.
“Maybe I can get a foam
to all part-time and full-time employees who have at least 90 days of continuous employment.
Since launching in May 2022, the “Goodwill Scholars” program has supported 242 employees with $450,000 in tuition assistance. In the first half of 2024, the program achieved an 8% participation rate, compared to the 2% annual average nationally. Forty scholars have finished their studies completely, 79 have successfully completed at least one semester of an English as a second language program, and 90% of cur-
rent participants are frontline staff.
“Goodwill is all about ‘Building Lives that Work,’ and part of that mission is to empower every one of our employees to succeed and achieve their goals – wherever those goals lead them,” said Ed Durkee, president and CEO. “As another semester begins, we’re committed to supporting our Goodwill Scholars every step of the way.”
In the spring of 2024, six employees earned degrees or certificates from four-year universities or community colleges. Among them are
ball for the center instead?” I said, helpfully. Hailey answered my question by explaining a step in the process that I had overlooked: “It has to be baked, so we’re going to use a ball of foil.”
Oh. Right. As I drove to Hobby Lobby, I looked at Kennedy in the back seat. In the rearview mirror, her green eyes — matching the color of her mother’s eyes — gazed out the window. She chattered away, and her excitement for this project was rubbing off on me, mostly because I was witnessing my daughter becoming more like her mother, as Kennedy was demolishing the stresses of deadlines by working ahead, full of a confidence as big as a solar system of clay.
Taylor Hempel, who graduated from Daytona State College with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management and Tetiana Mokhun earned her optician certification from the University of Central Florida. Jessica Thondik received the Society of Human Resource Management Certified Professional credential.
To learn more about Goodwill, browse current job openings, or fill out an application, visit www.GoodwillCFL.org.
Beginning Sunday, Sept. 15, all Volusia County Public Library card holders are invited to participate in the library’s virtual “Read Grateful” sixweek reading challenge. The library’s community fall reading goal is a cumulative 5,000 days read and encourages all local readers to join this challenge.
Readers can log their days read into the library’s reading platform, Beanstack, to earn virtual badges and entries into a prize drawing in November. Beanstack is a digital platform designed to help users track reading and log activities.
Pre-registration begins Sunday, Sept. 8, and can be accomplished online by visiting https://volusialibrary.org or by visiting one of Volusia County Public Library’s fourteen branches. Readers can also join and participate in the challenge any time between Sept. 15 through Nov. 3. Registered participants can also stop by any Volusia County Public Library branch to claim a small incentive during the challenge.
Dr. Steven Sidelsky, of UF Health Urology at Halifax Health, and his team are among the first in the VolusiaFlagler area to perform an innovative procedure to treat urethral strictures (narrowing of the urethra) using a drugcoated balloon.
A urethral stricture is a narrowing of the urethra caused by scar tissue and can cause severe discomfort and lead to complications such as kidney damage if left untreated. The most common treatment for urethral strictures has been catheters to remove urine from the bladder multiple times a day. Other procedures involve stretching, cutting, or removing the stricture entirely.
The new procedure is minimally invasive and allows men to return home the day of surgery. Downtime is also minimal. By locally delivering medication directly to the stricture site, the procedure not only addresses the immediate obstruction but also helps prevent recurrence. The balloon device expands the scar tissue surrounding the urethral stricture, creating a dilation and micro-fissures in the affected area. That allows the chemotherapy drug to be delivered directly to the stricture.
The technique results in limited scar tissue and helps prevent future recurrence.
“This procedure exemplifies the kind of advanced care that only Halifax Health can provide, ensuring that our patients receive the most effective and innovative treatments available,” Sidelsky said.
Palm Coast family gifted refurbished car at Daytona International Speedway
BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Josh Wooten of Palm Coast jokes that the reason he and his family were selected to receive a newly refurbished 2021 Toyota Corolla through the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides program is that he checked off two of the boxes — disabled veteran and foster care parent. In truth, the gift could not have come at a more opportune time. Wooten’s 2004 Camry was nearing 250,000 miles and its engine had started knocking.
“We were going to have to replace it really soon, and we don’t have the money,” Wooten said.
Wooten, his wife Mikaela, and their five children — including an 8-month-old foster child — received the car at Daytona International Speedway before the start of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Aug. 24.
The NABC started the Recycled Rides program in 2007 and since then has donated over 3,300 cars to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation.
Geico donated the vehicle. The Daytona Toyota Certified Collision Center refurbished the car. And the local non-profit Seawolf Privateers nominated the Wootens. The organization raises money to help foster and displaced children.
Josh Wooten said the Seawolf Privateers were making a drop-off at his home and told him about the car that was to be donated at the speedway.
“It was kind of interesting,” Wooten said. “They said, ‘You should apply for this.’ And less than 24 hours later, we were notified that you are
the ones to win the car. So, it was really exciting.”
The only criteria was that the Wootens had to prove they can pay for the insurance.
Dale Ross, the NABC Recycled Rides program director, presented the car to the Wootens in the speedway’s infield Fanzone area. Enterprise Rent-A-Car donated a $600 Visa gift card and the speedway provided free passes for the family to the race.
“The kids had a great time,” Wooten said. “All the people were great. We kind of felt special. We walked through pit road, trying to see everything we can see. The whole ride home everyone was joking and laughing. It was really a great experience.”
There was, however, a close call when he got ready to drive the car home.
“The car was in the infield. And they said, don’t take a right or you’ll be on the track. I thought they were joking,” he said.
But he avoided the famed 31-degree high-banked track in the nick of time.
DISABLED VET, FOSTER PARENT
Josh Wooten is a veteran of the U.S. Navy submarine force. While he was on active duty he was diagnosed with early onset osteoarthritis and was given a medical discharge. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes the breakdown of tissues in the joints.
The condition worsens over time. Wooten has been out of the Navy for 15 years. He was told at the time that he would have to get his knees replaced. That hasn’t happened yet. But walking has become more difficult, he said.
“If I stand for 20 plus minutes, I’m wiped, I’m useless. If I mow the lawn, the next day I’m not get-
ting out of bed,” he said. Fortunately, he said, he has a sitdown job. He works from home for Western Governor’s University, an online school, in the re-admissions department, helping students overcome roadblocks to finish their degrees.
His wife Mikaela is a stay-athome mom who homeschools their four biological children, ages 15, 13, 10 and 9. Josh said he likes to joke that they have two sets of Irish twins. They have fostered a total of five children. Mikaela’s family fostered children when she was growing up. Josh said he had aunts and uncles who were foster parents, and it was a mixed bag.
“It was really bad or really awesome, so I was hesitant at first,” he said. “But my wife convinced me that these kids need help. I got the impression that if I did foster care
I would have more empathy and I would be a better person in general. It’s definitely tough but it’s really rewarding too.”
Their past experiences with fostering haven’t always worked out the way they wanted, he said. They realized they weren’t equipped to handle some of the situations.
But fostering the baby, he said, has been really good for their kids.
“My daughter, especially, absolutely loves the baby. She’s like a little mom. The older boys are more than happy to help out, even with changing diapers,” he said.
Of course, having reliable transportation is important for the family.
The Corolla has about 30,000 miles on it. Josh Wooten hopes it will last as long as the Camry did.
“I really hope it lasts another 15 years,” he said. “It’s such a nice car. We definitely feel very blessed.”
“It was really bad or really awesome, so I was hesitant at first. But my wife convinced me that these kids need help. I got the impression that if I did foster care I would have more empathy and I would be a better person in general. It’s definitely tough but it’s really rewarding too.”
JOSH WOOTEN
The exhibit, ‘Glass, Lead, Design and Light,’ will open on Saturday, Sept. 7.
SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Ormond Beach’s Ocean Art Gallery’s next exhibit will open on Sept. 7 and it will feature unique stained glass artwork by a local Palm Coast artist.
Artist Pat Conway has been working with stained glass for over 20 years. Her new stained glass exhibit — “Glass, Lead, Design and Light” — showcases more than just the typical window or hanging art those unfamiliar with the medium might think of.
Instead, Conway has designed a series of stained glass pieces that can be moved or displayed on shelves.
There will be pieces that hang in windows and others that are suspended within classic frames designed for placement on tables, pedestals, and other flat surfaces within the home or office, according to a press release from the gallery.
Conway’s art will also be on display during Ormond’s Art Walk from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Ocean Art Gallery owner Frank
Gromling said the gallery has been around for 12 years. Most of his featured artists, he said, have more than 20 years of experience. The artists work in a variety of mediums, he said: “We don’t just take a certain type of art.”
“Either my wife, Bibi or I will find an artist whose work is exquisite, it is truly representative of a form of art,”
Gromling said.
Conway’s work is classic and tre-
mendous, he said. Typically, stained glass art is placed in a window to get the true impact from the sun’s rays, he said, though that only lasts for a few hours a day. Being able to move the pieces around allows someone to place one of Conway’s pieces in ambient light.
“Ambient light in the area of the piece, makes the piece totally enjoyable,” he said.
Conway’s exhibit will have stained glass pieces featuring coastal Florida designs, plus several intricate dragon designs in honor of the current Year of the Dragon in the lunar calendar, the press release said.
“I love her work,” Gromling said.
“It’s extremely creative.”
Ocean Art Gallery is located at 197 E. Granada Blvd., at the intersection with State Road A1A.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 5
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
When: 4-5 p.m.
Where: Northwest corner of Belle Terre Parkway and Pine Lake Parkway, Palm Coast
Details: Members and friends of the Atlantic Coast Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State will gather to rally for women’s reproductive rights. Rally is open to the public. All are welcome. Participants are invited to bring U.S. flags and their own signs promoting religious freedom, separation of church and state, and reproductive rights. For further information, email atlanticcoastau@gmail.com or call 804-914-4460.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 6
BINGO NIGHT When: 6:30 p.m.
Where: St. James Episcopal Church, 44 Halifax Blvd., Ormond Beach
Details: Join St. James Episcopal Church for a bingo night. $10 buys 10 game cards. Non-alcoholic beverages and snacks will be available for purchase.
MOVIES ON THE HALIFAX
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Rockefeller Gardens, 26 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach
Details: Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy a showing of “50 First Dates,” rated PG-13. Movies are weathersensitive. Call 386-676-3216 for rainout information.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 7
BACK TO SCHOOL BASH
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: First Baptist Church of Palm Coast, 6050 Palm
Coast Parkway Northwest, Palm Coast
Details: First Baptist Christian Academy Campus in Palm Coast is hosting a Back to School Bash at its new campus. Free and open to the public. There will be free food, music, bounce houses, face painting, a dunking booth, cornhole, prayer tent and more. School tours are available for those interested.
ORMOND ART WALK
When: 3-7 p.m.
Where: Ormond Beach
MainStreet Arts District, 128 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond
Beach
Details: Join Ocean Art Gallery, Frame of Mind, Art Spotlight, The Studio by Artist Angel Lowden, the Ormond Memorial Art Museum and more on the first Saturday of each month for art openings and art events.
ART OPENING RECEPTION FOR PATRICIA CONWAY
When: 3-7 p.m.
Where: Ocean Art Gallery, 197 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond
Beach
Details: Attend this art opening reception for Palm Coast stained glass artist Patricia Conway. Meet the artist, listen to music, enjoy light refreshments and enjoy art. Call 386-317-9400 for more information. Her art will be on display from Sept. 7-30.
SECOND ANNUAL FOOD AND WINE CLASSIC
When: 5-9 p.m.
Where: Hammock Beach Golf Resort and Spa, 200 Ocean Crest Drive, Palm Coast
Details: This event will feature over 75 wines from eight countries, restaurant and chef tastings, and live music. There will be 10 food stations with 30 different wine tents. Tickets cost $175 per person. Visit hammockbeach.com.
Sept. 11 marks the 23rd anniversary of 9/11. In Flagler County, several ceremonies will be hosted across the county that day, honoring the victims of the nation’s largest terrorist attack which killed nearly 3,000 people, including hundreds of first responders. Below are several ceremonies in Palm Coast and Flagler County held in honor of the anniversary.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 8
18TH ANNUAL 9/11
CASINO NIGHT
When: 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Where: Italian American Club, 45 Old Kings Road North, Palm Coast
Details: The Flagler Woman’s Club is inviting the community to a casino night, featuring music by Vange Durst, raffles and a silent auction. Tickets cost $85 and include appetizers, a raffle ticket and $5,000 in chips. Visit flaglerwomansclub.org.
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SUNDAY, SEPT. 8
18TH ANNUAL 9/11
MEMORIAL CEREMONY AND RIDE
See box on this page.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11
FOURTH ANNUAL 9/11
MEMORIAL TRIBUTE CLIMB
When: 7 a.m. to noon
See box on this page.
ELKS LODGE 9/11
CEREMONY
See box on this page.
ORMOND STRONG CEREMONY AND REMEMBRANCE WALK
See box on this page.
ORMOND AARP MEETING
When: 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Unitarian Universalist Church, 56 N. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach
Details: Remembering 9/11 through personal testimonies. An optional $5 light lunch to follow. For more information, call chapter president Jeff Boyle at 386-341-9013.
PROBUS CLUB OF PALM COAST
When: 11 a.m. to noon
Where: Social Club of Palm Coast, 51 N Old Kings Road, Palm Coast
Details: This is a social club for retired and semiretired men and women who meet monthly with a guest speaker on a topic of interest, with other social events during the month. This month’s guest speaker is Anne Tracy, on “Body Language.” All welcome. It’s free and explore the benefits of joining Probus, a worldwide organization with 350,000 members in 4500 clubs. For more information, contact Larry Wright at palmcoastprobusclub@gmail.com.
• We are an Official Distributor for Many Government Mints
MEMORIAL CEREMONY AND RIDE When: 9 a.m. Where: Flagler County Courthouse, 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Bunnell Details: The Knights of the Inferno Firefighters Motorcycle Club Palm Coast Chapter, The Punishers LE Motorcycle club Flagler Chapter and Flagler County Government Services are presenting the 18th annual 9/11 Memorial ride and ceremony. Free registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. and the police escorted ride begins at 10:30 a.m. There will be free food and live music. For more information, contact Joe Vece at 386-931-3779 or visit memorialrun911.com.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11
FOURTH ANNUAL 9/11
MEMORIAL TRIBUTE
CLIMB
When: 7 a.m. to noon
Where: Hammock Beach Golf Resort and Spa, 200 Ocean Crest Drive, Palm Coast
The annual tribute stair climb — at the Hammock Beach Golf Resort and Spa, 200 Ocean Crest Drive, Palm Coast — begins at 7:45 a.m. and goes until noon. It is hosted by the Flagler County Fire Rescue. Participants will climb 110 flights of stairs in remembrance of the firefighters who climbed the Twin Towers in New York City. Climbers will carry chips representing the 343 firefighters who died in the attacks up all 110 flights of stairs, according to a press release from the 9/11 Memorial Tribute Climb Inc.
This event is open to the public and it’s free to attend or participate in the stair climb.
Two helicopters will fly in as part of the ceremony and local dignitaries will speak. The Palm Coast Fire Department Honor Guard’s Pipe & Drums and the Flagler Palm Coast High School Jr. ROTC Color Guard will lead the ceremonial proceedings while Melanie DiMartino will sing the National Anthem. Amber Robinson, a middle school student from Flagler
CITIZENS FOR ORMOND BEACH PROGRAM
When: 5:30 p.m.
Where: Ormond Beach Regional Library auditorium, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach
Details: Citizens for Ormond Beach is hosting the League of Women Voters who will explain the amendments on the November election ballot. For more information, email billdenny105@gmail.com.
9/11 CANDLELIGHT
MEMORIAL SERVICE
See box on this page.
present a program titled, “Adding Social History to Your Family History.” This presentation will teach how to research social history and how it helps us understand how ancestor’s lives were affected by events of their times. Free guest registration.
‘THANK YOU AND HELLO’ RECEPTION
When: 4:30-6 p.m.
Where: St. James Episcopal Church, 44 S. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach
Details: The Ormond Beach Lions Club is inviting the community to its reception for supporters and prospective members. Refreshments will be provided. To RSVP, call 386-310-4834.
Schools, will deliver a heartfelt speech on what 9/11 means to her, the press release said.
ELKS LODGE 9/11
CEREMONY When: 8 a.m.
Where: Elks Lodge 2709, 53 Old Kings Road
Details: The Elks Lodge 2709 is holding its annual 9/11 ceremony, to be held at the lodge’s outdoor 9/11 memorial. The ceremony will consist of a parade, dignitary speeches and a wreath laying ceremony. The general public is invited to have coffee and donuts prior to the ceremony. The Wednesday buffet will also be made available to the public after the ceremony for the price of $15 per person.
ORMOND STRONG CEREMONY AND REMEMBRANCE WALK
When: 8 a.m.
Where: Granada Bridge, Ormond Beach Details: Join Ormond Strong for a 9/11 memorial ceremony and remembrance walk, to take place underneath the Granada Bridge between Cassen Park and Bailey Riverbridge Gardens, across from City Hall. Free event. U.S. Flags and first responder flags will be provided. Call 386-566-3685 or email ormondstrong@gmail.com.
9/11 CANDLELIGHT
MEMORIAL SERVICE
When: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Heroes Memorial Park, 2860 Palm Coast Parkway NW, Palm Coast Details: Join the Palm Coast Fire Department for a Candlelight Memorial honoring the 23rd anniversary of 9/11. The event will feature remarks from Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill and Mayor David Alfin, with a performance by the Choral Arts Society. Seating is limited. For more information, contact Lt. Patrick Juliano at pjuliano@palmcoastgov. com.
Details: Join The Casements Guild for an evening starring Dianne Jacoby, who will bring to life the stories of Henry Flagler’s wife. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. Tickets cost $20 per person, and include two drink tickets, appetizers and dessert. Contact The Casements at 386-676-3216.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 14
LET’S BOOGIE ‘70S DISCO PARTY When: 6:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Where: Palm Coast Lanes, 11 Old Kings Road N., Palm Coast
THURSDAY, SEPT. 12
HALIFAX GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY SEPTEMBER MONTHLY MEETING
When: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Where: Ormond Beach Regional Library auditorium, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach
Details: Miles Meyer will
FRIDAY, SEPT. 13
THE CASEMENTS GUILD
PRESENTS: ‘THE THREE MRS. FLAGLERS’ When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: The Casements, 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach
Details: Flagler County residents Mark and Theresa Mistie are joining forces with the Live Like Cameron Children’s Cancer Foundation to host the first Let’s Boogie “For a Cure” ‘70s Disco Party. Attend a night of bowling, dancing and fun. Dress in your favorite decade’s attire and enjoy DJ Copperhead playing the classic hits. There will also be raffle giveaways.
‘We
Buccaneers endure blowout and a stadium lockdown
MICHELE MEYERS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Cocoa crushed Mainland 51-0 on Friday, Aug. 30, leaving the Bucs’ 0-2 for the season. Cocoa is ranked No. 2 in Florida by MaxPreps.
Wide receiver Jameil Patrick grabbed a first down for the Bucs on the game’s first play from scrimmage followed up with a run by Houston Cadette. But with nine minutes left in the first quarter, Cocoa began its barrage of points with a field goal by senior Marcus Trout.
“We didn’t execute offensively or defensively,” Mainland head coach Jerrime Bell said. “We gave up a lot of points early. That is a really good football team with a really, really good player (Jayvan Boggs). He was responsible for five touchdowns for them. Against a good team like that, we have to execute.”
The Tigers scored three touchdowns and a field goal in the first 18 minutes of the game. With 1:52 remaining before the half, administrative personnel and law enforcement officers directed everyone to exit the football field area and remain under the bleachers. The Daytona Stadium went into lockdown while a Volusia County Sheriff’s helicopter circled overhead and Daytona Beach police officers searched for a juvenile who attempted to carry a firearm into the stadium.
Monique Morris was there supporting her daughter Talisa Clarke who is a senior airman with the Mainland Air Force JROTC.
“I don’t know what I think about this lockdown,” Morris said. “It’s so scary for the kids. They are just
here to enjoy themselves and then this thing happens.”
After approximately an hour, law enforcement determined the area was safe and the game resumed. Cocoa continued to control the scoreboard with an immediate touchdown and extra point.
Cocoa’s wide receiver Boggs ran for 224 total yards and five touchdowns against Mainland. Freshman Javeon Scott added two touchdowns and Nicholas Teeter added one. Trout kicked five PATs in addition to his field goal and Joshua Gauthier had one.
Boggs ran for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns his junior year and earned the Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Football award. He had 29 offers from college teams and committed to the University of Central Florida on Aug. 6. Cocoa teammate, offensive lineman Jaques Joiner is also a UCF commit. Cocoa’s quarterback Barry Hart is a junior this year and has already had multiple college offers including Florida, Florida State and UCF. He committed to the University of Michigan in June. Bell said defensive lineman Christian Hudson is one of the few players who had a good game against the Tigers. Hudson committed to UCF in July and will be teammates with Boggs and Joiner in the fall of 2025.
“Christian Hudson is amazing,” Bell said. “He was unblockable. No matter who they’ve got. They’ve got two division one offensive linemen—one is his UCF commit buddy (Jaques Joiner). It didn’t matter. You can’t block that kid.”
The Bucs will travel to Flagler Palm Coast on Friday, Sept. 6. Bell said FPC is a well-coached football team. If the Bucs don’t come out and execute, he said, it will be a long night.
“Hayden (Hayes) took a beating last year at Seabreeze against us and I know he’s chomping at the bit to go make plays against Mainland,” Bell said. “They have some kids that grew up playing with our guys that are excited for their game. They are going to show up. We got to bring our A-game.”
Former Seabreeze players on TV
Seabreeze graduates Latrae Bass and James Lyons were on the field for Johnson C. Smith in the Golden Bulls’ 21-13 win over Tuskegee in the Boeing Red Tails Classic on Sept. 1 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game was televised by ESPNU. Lyons is a long snapper who trains with Dan Lundy’s 4th Down University. Bass, a cornerback, had a pass breakup in the game.
Father Lopez swimmers sweep
Father Lopez’s swim teams swept Trinity Prep and The Master’s Academy on Aug. 29. The Lopez boys improved to 3-0, while the Lopez girls improved to 2-1.
Ryan Herdel won the 50 and 100 over both teams. Matt Alvarez won the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke against Trinity. Nelanee Fulton, Zoee Fulton, Maya Khanna and Evie Kate Carnathan led the Green Wave girls.
Thursday night lights at Matanzas High School during football season usually mean a JV game is going on. But on Thursday, Aug. 29, the players on the field were middle school students.
A team representing the First Baptist Christian Academy Crusaders of Palm Coast, but including players from four Flagler Count schools, has joined the St. Johns County Middle School Athletic Association football league.
The Crusaders played their first game on Aug. 29 against Landrum Middle School of Ponte Vedra Beach. Landrum won the game 7-0.
“We took one on the chin,” Crusaders head coach Dell Arneaud said.
“We saw some positives. We’ll work on the negatives.”
The Crusaders are home again Thursday, Sept. 5, against Pacetti Bay of St. Augustine. The rest of their games are on the road.
Arneaud, whose children attend FBCA, has coached a Flagler Titans Pop Warner team the past couple of years, and he had helped coach First Baptist Christian middle school and varsity teams when FBCA played eight-man football.
“We’ve been trying to start an 11-man team for a couple of years. We know we don’t have a lot of high school kids, so our plan was to start with a middle school team. We found out about the league in St. Johns and they welcomed us,” he said.
Most of the players on the team are students at Buddy Taylor and Indian Trails middle schools with the rest from FBCA and Imagine School at Town Center. Many of the players played for Arneaud with the Titans.
“Coach Dell has a lot of good connections in the community,” FBCA athletic director Caleb Young said. “So he was trying to find some good character people to represent us.”
The team fills a gap in the football community.
“Middle School football is a direct replica of high school football,” said Matanzas head coach Matt Forrest, who watched the Crusaders’ first game. “It’s good to have a middle school team representing our town.”
Forrest said that unlike Pop Warner, there are no weight limits for middle school players. The games are at night, like high school games, and the players travel together on a bus to road games.
The players’ jerseys say Crusaders across the front and have their last names on the back, but Arneaud calls it a community team.
“This is preparation for high school football here,” Arneaud said. “Pop Warner was great. It served its purpose, but middle school football is what I’m used to being from Jacksonville. The majority of the team are eighth graders so they’ll be playing at one of these two high schools in a year.”
Young said the team is basically a club team which FBCA is sponsoring. He’d like to see it grow and become more representative of First Baptist Christian Academy.
“We thought, let’s try to put together a team. Our enrollment and interest for tackle football isn’t that big yet. So we wanted to put out a product to say, hey we’re serious about it, and then hopefully get more of our academy kids out there representing us,” Young said.
Braeden Kopec won two titles at the NSSA National Surfing Championships in Huntington Beach Beach, California, earlier this summer. That brought his total number of championship wins to 22.
Prior to that he was one of four surfers to represent Flagler Palm Coast High School at the National Scholastic Surfing Association’s national championships at Salt Creek Beach Park in Dana Point, California. As team captain, he helped his team place third out of 14 high school teams.
But just a few months ago, Kopec’s participation in national events seemd unlikely. After surfing two tournaments on consecutive weekends in February with increasing pain in his knee, an MRI revealed a torn ACL.
Foregoing surgery, he underwent a daily regimen of physical therapy strength training over two and half months and was able to strengthen the leg to the point when his orthopedic surgeon cleared him to surf again.
After a grueling stretch in California, he spent three weeks surfing and training in South Africa. Last month, he began his college career at Stetson University, which happens to be just 40
minutes from the waves.
FPC golfers top
Matanzas
Flagler Palm Coast’s boys and girls golf teams defeated rival Matanzas on Aug. 28. At Palm Harbor Golf Club, the FPC boys won 184-194 with Bulldogs Caleb Zarraonandia (42) and Drew Curley (43) leading the way. Trevor Challice (39) and Jacob Roster (46) led Matanzas. At Cypress Knoll, FPC’s girls defeated the Pirates 210218. Freshman Ivey Tsouklaris led the Bulldogs with a 44, but Matanzas senior Zoe Alred took medalist honors with a 43.
Baldwin leads Seabreeze to win
At Rivieria Country Club in Ormond Beach on Aug. 29, Isaac Baldwin shot 37 to lead Seabreeze to a 166-172 victory over Matanzas. The Sandcrabs’ other scorers were Austin Upchurch (43), Sam Garewal (43) and Shaan Garewal (44). Trevor Challice shot 39 for the Pirates, wile Jacob Roster shot a 41 and Gianni Cerbone carded a 44. Vogel 8th at DeLand XC meet Matanzas’ Blaine Vogel placed eighth with a time of 17:41.15 at the DeLand Cross Country Invitational on Aug. 31. Seabreeze’s Hunter Shuler (18:20.65) placed 14th and Matanzas freshman Enzo McGovern (18:41.01) was 19th. The Pirates placed sixth, while Seabreeze was ninth among 20 teams.
Matanzas placed fifth in the girls race with Maria Phillips (22:14.98), Sara Van Buren (22:17.27) and Megan Rhee (22:18.52) fnishing together in 15th, 16th and 17th places.
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SECOND INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2024-12929 PRDL Division 10 IN RE: ESTATE OF KENNETH EVERETT NEUMANN A/K/A KENNETH E. NEUMANN, Deceased. The administration of the estate of KENNETH EVERETT NEUMANN A/K/A
KENNETH E. NEUMANN, deceased,
INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT, IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION Case No.: 2024 12470 PRDL Div.: 10 IN RE: ESTATE OF BARAK KERNS BAKER, Deceased. The administration of the Estate of BARAK KERNS BAKER, deceased, whose date of death was February 29, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 101 N Alabama Ave, DeLand, FL 32724. The names and addresses of the Personal Representative 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 STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is August 29, 2024. Personal Representative: /s/ Lisa B. Baker Lisa B. Baker 238 Cyress Trail Drive Ormond Beach, FL 32174 Attorney for Personal Representative: /s/ Elan R. Kaney Elan R. Kaney, Esq. Florida Bar Number: 538302 523 N. Halifax Ave. Daytona Beach, FL 32118 Telephone: (386) 281-5777 Fax: (386) 867-8076 E-Mail: Elan.Kaney@KaneyLaw.com Aug. 29; Sept. 5, 2024 24-00445I
NOTICE OF SALE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 45 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 7TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024 10481 CIDL WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2007-OPT3, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-OPT3, Plaintiff, vs. IVETTE MCNAB A/K/A IVETTE R. MCNAB A/K/A IVETTE MCNABB; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF IVETTE MCNAB A/K/A IVETTE R. MCNAB A/K/A IVETTE MCNABB; CITY OF DELTONA, FLORIDA, Defendant(s). NOTICE OF SALE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to the order of Summary Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated August 20, 2024, and entered in Case No. 2024 10481 CIDL of the Circuit Court of the 7TH Judicial Circuit in and for Volusia County, Florida, wherein Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as Trustee for Soundview Home Loan Trust 2007-OPT3, Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2007-OPT3, is Plaintiff and Ivette McNab a/k/a Ivette R. McNab a/k/a Ivette McNabb; Unknown Spouse of Ivette McNab a/k/a Ivette R. McNab a/k/a Ivette McNabb; City of Deltona, Florida, are Defendants, the Office of the Clerk, Volusia County Clerk of the Court will sell via online auction at www.volusia.realforeclose. com at 11:00 a.m. on the 8th day of October, 2024, the following described property as set forth in said Final Judgment, to wit: LOT 14, BLOCK 808, DELTONA
SECOND INSERTION
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA GENERAL JURISDICTION DIVISION CASE NO. 2018 10912 CIDL U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff, vs. MIRANDA SMITH, et al.
Defendant(s).
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated December 18, 2018, and entered in 2018 10912 CIDL of the Circuit Court of the SEVENTH Judicial Circuit in and for Volusia County, Florida, wherein U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION is the Plaintiff and MIRANDA SMITH; BRANDON KLEINKE A/K/A BRANDON S. KLEINKE; R.E. MICHEL COMPANY, LLC F/K/A R.E. MICHEL COMPANY F/K/A R.E. MICHEL COMPANY, INC.; FLORIDA HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION are the Defendant(s).
Laura E. Roth as the Clerk of the Circuit Court will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash at www.volusia.realforeclose.com, at 11:00 AM, on September 17, 2024, the following described property as set forth in said Final Judgment, to wit: LOT 1, IN BLOCK 1691, OF A REPLAT OF A PORTION OF DELTONA LAKES, UNIT NINE, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 28, AT PAGE(S) 112 AND 113, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA. Property Address: 1191 S COOPER DR, DELTONA, FL 32725
Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the lis pendens must file a claim in accordance with Florida Statutes, Section 45.031. IMPORTANT AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
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, 101 N. Alabama Ave., Ste D-305, Deland, FL 32724, (386) 257-6096. Hearing or voice impaired, please call 711. Dated this 22 day of August, 2024. ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorney for Plaintiff 6409 Congress Ave., Suite 100 Boca Raton, FL 33487
Telephone: 561-241-6901
Facsimile: 561-997-6909
Service Email: flmail@raslg.com
By: \S\Danielle Salem Danielle Salem, Esquire Florida Bar No. 0058248
Communication Email: dsalem@raslg.com 18-170920 - MaM Aug. 29; Sept. 5, 2024 24-00442I
LAKES, UNIT THIRTY-TWO, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF AS RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 27 PAGES 101 THROUGH 118, INCLUSIVE, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA. Property Address: 2824 Corrigan Drive, Deltona, Florida 32738 and all fixtures and personal property located therein or thereon, which are included as security in Plaintiff’s mortgage. Any person claiming an interest in the surplus funds from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the lis pendens must file a claim before the clerk reports the
If you are a person with a disability who needs any 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
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 7TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA CIVIL DIVISION: CASE NO.: 2024 11171 CIDL LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. JENNIFER A. STEIN A/K/A JENNIFER ANN STEIN; AUTUMN WOODS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.; GOODLEAP, LLC; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING THROUGH THE RURAL HOUSING SERVICE; TIMOTHY L. LAKE, JR. A/K/A TIMOTHY LEIGH LAKE, JR.; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF TIMOTHY L. LAKE, JR. A/K/A TIMOTHY LEIGH LAKE, JR.; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF JENNIFER A. STEIN A/K/A JENNIFER ANN STEIN; UNKNOWN TENANT IN POSSESSION OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, Defendants. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to an Order or Final Judgment entered in the above styled cause now pending in said court and as required by Florida Statute 45.031(2), LAURA E. ROTH as the Clerk of the Circuit Court shall sell to the highest and best bidder for cash electronically at www.volusia.realforeclose.com at, 11:00 AM on the 01 day of October, 2024,
(561) 713-1400
Email: FLpleadings@mwc-law.com File No: 23-400325 Aug. 29; Sept. 5, 2024 24-00440I
COURT, IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION Case No.: 2024 12468 PRDL Div.: 10 IN RE: ESTATE OF KATHY MICHELLE GRAY, Deceased. The administration of the Estate of KATHY MICHELLE GRAY, deceased, whose date of death was January 14, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 101 N Alabama Ave, DeLand, FL 32724. The names and addresses of the Personal Representative 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 STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIOD SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
