CITY WATCH
City manager, attorney score perfect marks on evaluations
The Ormond Beach city attorney and the city manager both received glowing reviews from the Ormond Beach City Commission. The two each received the top possible scores for their annual evaluations.
Attorney Randal Hayes has been employed with Ormond Beach since 1993 and City Manager Joyce Shanahan since 2009.
In comments on the two evaluations, the commissioners said they were “incredibly fortunate” to have them on board.
Commission Travis Sargent said both Hayes and Shanahan had the “highest level” of integrity, while others commended their dedication and work ethic. Mayor Bill Partington even suggested the commission look into giving the two raises. He said the city doesn’t want other parties to offer the two more money because the city might be underpaying them.
The commission agreed to have staff present information of what similar-sized cities are paying their city attorneys and managers.
After 21 years, mayor says goodbye at final meeting
After eight years as mayor and more than 21 years serving on the Ormond Beach Commission, Mayor Bill Partington said his tearful goodbyes at his final City Commission meeting on Oct. 15.
“It’s been an incredible time of service,” Partington said. “... There’s cities throughout the country that you would not want to be mayor of, but Ormond Beach, it’s always been a pleasure.”
The next City Commission meeting is on Wednesday, Nov. 6, after the new mayor will be elected.
Residents, staff and fellow commissioners all wished Partington good luck as he leaves his post.
Partington was initially elected as Ormond Beach’s Zone 4 representative in 2003. In 2016, he was elected to his first of four consecutive terms as the city’s mayor.
Earlier on Oct. 15 at the city’s annual State of the City address, Deputy Mayor Harold Briley said Partington is “Ormond Beach through and through.”
“He’s not just a leader,” Briley said, “he’s a hometown advocate who cares deeply about preserving the unique spirit of Ormond Beach while always striving to make it better for future generations.”
Briley presented Partington an award at the annual address to recognize his service. Later at the commission meeting, Briley, on behalf of the commission, gave Partington a gavel and clock, meant to symbolize the legacy he leaves behind.
“The gavel represents your leadership, your ability to guide this city through both opportunities and challenges with fairness and sound judgment,” Briley said. “The clock serves as a reminder of the time and tireless dedication you’ve given to Ormond Beach always working to make it better for future generations.”
In March, Partington announced he would be running for the Florida House of Representatives District 28 seat, which is an open election as current Rep. Tom Leek is running for Florida Senate District 7. Partington is the Republican candidate and faces Democrat John Navarra and Lib-
ertarian Joseph “Joe” Hannoush.
If elected, Partington will be the fourth consecutive Ormond Beach resident to hold the House seat for the district. District 28 includes Ormond Beach, Ormond-by-theSea, Holly Hill, Daytona Beach, South Daytona and Daytona Beach Shores.
The commissioners also wished Partington luck on his journey in Tallahassee.
“I’m sure you won’t forget Ormond Beach when we contact you with with all our needs and our wish lists,” Commissioner Lori Tolland said.
In one of his final acts as mayor, Partington gave each commissioner a key to the city and thanked them for being an amazing commission to work with.
“We haven’t always agreed on everything, but we were never disagreeable,” he said.
Partington also presented a key to City Manager Joyce Shanahan and Attorney Randal Hayes.
“It’s been a special time,” he said. “Thank you all for making it extra special.”
Partington’s fellow commissioners reminisced on his advocacy in Ormond Beach: his commitment to protecting home rule in the city, championing projects like the Environmental Discovery Center, his support of first responders and his dedication to preserving the natural beauty of Ormond Beach for future generations.
“You’ve heard all of us say, we’ve all learned from you,” Commissioner Susan Persis said. “You take all the good things and you use them in whatever comes up in your life.”
Briley said Partington always understood that leadership wasn’t just about making decisions, but
“He’s not just a leader. He’s a hometown advocate.”
HAROLD BRILEY, Ormond Beach deputy mayor
about the people.
“[Leadership is] about serving people, and you’ve done that with the utmost care and respect,” Briley said. “On behalf of this the commission and the people you’ve served so well: Thank you, Bill.”
PARTINGTON HONORED FOR 20 YEARS OF SERVICE
The chamber and Ormond Beach city commissioners also took the opportunity to celebrate Partington, who is ending his eight-year tenure as the city’s mayor.
Partington — after more than 20 years serving as an elected official in Ormond Beach — is running for the Florida House of Representatives District 28 seat. He is the Republican candidate and faces Democrat John Navarra and Libertarian Joseph “Joe” Hannoush.
Partington was initially elected as Ormond Beach’s Zone 4 representative in 2003. In 2016, he was elected to his first of four consecutive terms as the city’s mayor. The city’s new mayor — either current City Commissioner Susan Persis or local businessman Jason Leslie — will be decided on Nov. 5. The current and previous Chamber presidents presented Partington with an ornate clock to recognize him for his service.
Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce Chair Eva Connors McMullin said Partington has shown that “true leadership goes beyond policymaking.”
Partington’s vision for Ormond Beach, McMullin said, inspires everyone to invest their own time and energy into making the community a better place.
SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington with Deputy Mayor Harold Briley. Photos by Sierra Williams
AFTERMATH IN ORMOND BEACH
Two deaths related to Milton
‘This community displayed heart, resilience and unity, despite taking a gut punch from Milton,’ Mayor Partington said.
BRENT WORONOFF
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
In his State of the City address less than a week after Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc on Ormond Beach and surrounding communities, Mayor Partington noted how crises can pull a community together.
“Just last week, Hurricane Milton put us to the test and once again we showed the world what makes Ormond Beach so special,” Partington said in his address on Oct. 15. (See Page 4A for more on the speech.) “While we face significant damage, we saw an
incredible outpouring of support for neighbors, helping neighbors, to people coming together to provide meals for our first responders and local businesses stepping up in every way imaginable. This community displayed heart, resilience and unity, despite taking a gut punch from Milton.”
Tragedy hit home with two deaths in Ormond Beach on Thursday, Oct. 10, that were related to the hurricane.
Public Safety Information Officer Pauline Dulang said a tree came down on an elderly couple in their home in Ormond Beach. Crews transported them both to the ER, where the woman succumbed to internal bleeding from her injuries.
The second fatality involved a resident experiencing respiratory distress, Dulang said. First responders were unable to reach the person during the height of the storm due
to extreme wind conditions, which made it unsafe for emergency response.
“Our hearts go out to the victims’ families, and we remain committed to doing everything we can to support our community through this difficult time,” Dulang said.
The hurricane hit the East Coast of Florida early Thursday morning, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall and leaving thousands without electricity.
The Ormond Beach area experienced unprecedented rains. Thousands in Volusia County were left without power. Ten thousand sandbags were were given out to Ormond-area residents ahead of the hurricane. Streets throughout the city were flooded.
More than 125,000 Florida Power & Light customers alone in the county lost power.
Ormond Beach Commissioner Travis Sargent was among local and state elected officials who met with FPL CEO Armando Pimentel on Saturday, Oct. 12, at Daytona International Speedway to discuss FPL’s progress in restoring power to the county’s residents.
The National Weather Service reported as much as 15.6 inches of rain falling in areas of Volusia County during the storm. Sustained winds in the county reached 62 mph with highest reported gusts of 87 mph, Volusia County Emergency Management Director Clint Mecham said at an Oct. 10 press conference.
Partington said residents experienced roof damage, flooded streets and downed
trees.
“Our staff is working hard on all of that to get back to normal as quickly as possible,” he said on Oct. 10, adding that heavy rain has put a burden on the water and sewer systems.
Partington said an 8-inch water main broke in the storm, which left residents on North Peninsula in the Ormond-ByThe Sea area without water until crews got it fixed.
Local flooding, especially in low-lying areas, was a problem even before the storm barreled across the state Wednesday night, Oct. 9.
Ray Burks shared photos of his flooded yard on Calle Grande Street from the morning before the storm hit following days of heavy rain.
“I am anxiously waiting to be able to see our home,” he wrote in an email Thursday morning. “Myself, my fiance and my 3 babies along with the dog and cat evacuated around 11 a.m. (Oct. 9) and this is what it looked like then, BEFORE the storm! I can only imagine what we will find.”
A woman who lives in the Willow Pond 55+ Community said on the morning of Oct. 10 that Wilmont Avenue was flooded and they were without power.
“We kind of feel cut off from everything, but I’m sure a lot of folks are in the same situation,” she said.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management has announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, has opened Operation Blue Roof through Nov. 5. The program is available for impacted residents in multiple counties, including
Volusia County. This program is a free service for homeowners and permanently occupied rental properties, providing fiber-reinforced, industrialstrength sheeting to protect storm-damaged roofs until homeowners can make permanent repairs. Residents impacted by Hurricane Milton can sign up for this no-cost service by visiting blueroof. gov or calling 888-766-3258.
Volusia County is organizing a community volunteer event to connect residents, businesses, organizations, and churches with local recovery efforts following the hurricane. The event will pair volunteers with residents who need assistance with debris cleanup, tree limb removal, mucking out flooded areas, and other recovery tasks.
Volunteers are asked to arrive by 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Volusia County Agricultural Center, 3100 E. New York Ave., DeLand. Upon arrival, participants will check in, complete necessary paper-
HOW FLAGLER FARED
Hurricane Milton has caused at least $19 million in residential damage across Flagler County, according to preliminary numbers from the county’s damage assessment. The damage assessment process consists of county staff going to each home in Flagler County and reviewing the damage at each residence. As of 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 15, 309 homes were found to have less than 20% of damage, 71 with between 20%-40% of damage, and 17 with between 40%-80% of damage.
work, receive a safety briefing, and be matched with opportunities based on their skills and the community’s needs. Volunteers are encouraged to bring work gloves and any essential safety or work supplies, as they may go directly to a resident’s home following the event. All volunteers must be 18 years of age or older. Volusia County residents can call the Citizens Information Center at 866-345-0345 for storm-related inquiries.
Dogs, cats, a goat — and Faith the parakeet — all safe during the storm
Halifax Humane Society’s dog walks were flooded; Flagler lost power but used a FEMA generator.
BRENT WORONOFF
EDITOR
ASSOCIATE
The Halifax Humane Society in Daytona Beach received an influx of stray pets before Hurricane Milton battered the state, but the community stepped up, Humane Society CEO Sean Hawkins said in an email.
“There was speculation that pets were being abandoned ahead of families evacuating,” Hawkins said. “Luckily for the Halifax Humane Society, the
community really stepped up in a big way. We offered feewaived adoptions for every pet in the shelter before the hurricane and we moved 64 animals into new adoptive homes or foster homes over a two-day period.”
The pets and the structures at both the Halifax and Flagler humane societies made it through the storm without any problems, Hawkins and Flagler Humane Society Executive Director Amy Carotenuto said. But Halifax’s grounds were devastated by flooding.
On Tuesday, Oct. 15, five days after the storm went out to sea, all five dog exercise yards and the two dog parks at the shelter were still underwater, Hawkins said. The Flagler Humane Soci-
ety lost power Wednesday night, Oct. 9, but it was able to use a generator that it purchased two years ago through a FEMA grant. Power came back on late Thursday.
“The generator took me years to get,” said Carotenuto, who applied for the grant after Hurricane Irma in 2017.
“The shelter was high and dry,” during the storm, Carotenuto said.
All of the pets, including a goat, were brought inside. The goat tore up a couple of things and was happy to get back outside on Friday, she said.
For the most part, because of the absence of thunder, the animals stayed calm, Carotenuto said. Animal Care and Placement Manager Kyndra Mott spent the night and traded out dogs to sleep with.
“She ended up with a Great Dane. She had a poodle, several dogs. She was letting them take turns. Anyone who was scared got to hang out longer. But really they weren’t nervous,” Carotenuto said.
At Halifax, Hawkins stayed on site with six animal care team members for 48 hours.
“The dogs all had warm beds and blankets to snuggle in. The cats all had hiding dens and towels to nest and hide,” he said. “We made rounds every hour through the night. We had no issues with animal care through the storm.”
The Flagler Humane Society also takes care of the pets that evacuees bring to the emergency shelter at Rymfire Elementary School. The Rymfire shelter housed 12 cats, 11 dogs and one parakeet, Carot-
enuto said.
Faith, the parakeet, was a favorite of the Flagler Schools staff, which provided cots and food for the people in the shelter. Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore said a couple of guests at the shelter complimented the school district on its “five-star” accommodations.
Thanks to an 18-year-old law — the PETS Act (Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006) — pets are well treated at shelters too. The law, which passed in response to Hurricane Katrina the previous year, requires states to include pets and service animals in their emergency preparedness plans to receive federal funding.
“I remember when Red Cross shelters would turn
animals away and leave them shut in homes for two or three days, which is crazy,” Carotenuto said. “If it’s not safe for you, it’s not safe for your pets.” While the dogs and cats and goat and parakeet were safe at the Flagler Humane Society and Rymfire shelter, in the previous years, the Humane Society had to evacuate the animals.
During the 1998 fires, Carotenuto said, all of Flagler County was evacuated.
“We had to go to Gainesville,” Carotenuto said. “The Gainesville Animal Control Facility accepted us. In (the hurricanes of 2004), we had to go to the Flagler County Fairgrounds into metal buildings, which wasn’t the best situation, but at least we were far west.”
Many docks along North Beach Street in Ormond Beach were submerged in the Halifax River
Ormond Beach residents traverse water on a flooded Shockney Dr. following Hurricane Milton. Photos by Michele Meyers
Hurricane Milton ripped off roofs, broke signs and left debris strewn along the A1A corridor in its aftermath.
Mayor Partington highlights prosperity: ‘Ormond Beach remains strong’
The mayor gave out five Awards for Citizen Engagement. He was also honored for his service.
SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Just one week after Hurricane Milton tore coast-to-coast through Central Florida, Ormond Beach’s leaders celebrated the city’s successes with the 2024 State of the City address.
“I’m pleased to report to all of you here today that the state of the city of Ormond Beach remains strong,” Mayor Bill Partington said.
(See Page 3A for more on the storm.)
The theme of this year’s State of the City was “Partners for Prosperity,” and focused on how the city’s partnerships with its community members has led to the city’s successes. The annual address and luncheon was co-hosted by the city and the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce at the Oceanside Country Club on Oct. 15.
“This theme embodies the essence of what makes our city thrive, our ability to come together, collaborate and support one another in our shared pursuit of a prosperous future,” Partington said.
ECONOMIC, SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS PRIORITIZED
Economic development programs and infrastructure and safety improvement projects were the chief items celebrated at the State of the City address.
City partnerships and programs designed to help local businesses expand and relocate to Ormond Beach have helped the city make “significant progress” in its economic development, City Commissioner Travis Sargent said in a video summarizing the city’s success over the last year.
Ormond Beach has welcomed several new businesses from insurance firms to restaurants over the last year
through these programs.
The city commissioners also credited the city’s strong relationships with state partners like the Florida Department of Transportation for helping the city move forward with its safety and infrastructure enhancements.
Primarily, the city celebrated the future Highway U.S. 1 and Interstate 95 Interchange, which is entering the design phase.
The interchange — which is part of the governor’s $4 billion Moving Florida Forward infrastructure initiative, aimed at advancing construction on transportation projects — will be redesigned to a “diverging diamond,” which, FDOT stated in its video presentation, will minimize the number of potential crash locations and the severity of crashes.
“Once completed, it will significantly enhance the traffic flow and reduce congestion,” Commissioner Susan Persis said.
Construction of the new interchange is expected to begin in 2027, she said.
To further prioritize safety, the city has also completed a pedestrian safety project on State Road A1A, with raised medians and flashing beacons installed. Ormond Beach is also in the process of developing a new police station and emergency operations center at a more central geographical location in Ormond Beach, and has already taken the first steps to do so with an analysis of current and future public safety needs.
“These achievements are not just markers of success, they are the building blocks of a prosperous future for all,” Partington said.
ORMOND BEACH MAYOR HONORS LOCALS WITH AWARD FOR CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT
At the 2024 Ormond Beach State of the City address on Oct. 15, Mayor Bill Partington recognized four individuals and one family for their contributions to the Ormond Beach community.
Florida’s Secretary of transportation Jared Perdue, Ormond Beach
Chamber of Commerce Chair Eva Connors McMullin, Reality Pro Title
President Billie Jo Kaler, Foundation Risk Partners CEO Charlie Lydecker and the Penland family were each given the Award for Citizen Engagement by Partington. The ACE Award, he said, recognizes individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to Ormond Beach.
“These individuals have gone above and beyond in their efforts to improve and strengthen our community, each in their own unique way,” Partington said. “Today, we celebrate their dedication leadership and the positive impact they’ve had on our city.” Perdue, Partington said, has played a “pivotal role” in advocating for and securing critical infrastructure funding for Ormond Beach, including for the Interstate 95 interchange project.
McMullin has been a long-time advocate for business in Ormond Beach, but has also been a leading voice in protecting the city, in particular against the Belvedere fuel farm project, the mayor said.
Kaler is a “dynamic leader whose community involvement has made a lasting impact on Ormond Beach,” Partington said, pointing out her commitment to both the business community and nurturing local talent and educational opportunities.
The Penland family could not attend to receive their award, given for their decision to sell 19 acres of
environmentally sensitive land in Ormond Beach for conservation. It is Ormond Beach’s first partnership with the Volusia Forever, an outdoor recreation and conservation program.
Rich Cooper accepted the award on behalf of Lydecker, who was recognized for his community involvement in the YMCA renovations, involvement in numerous local organizations and his decision to anchor his company in Ormond Beach.
Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington was recognized by the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce at the 2024 State of the City. Photos by Sierra Williams
Mayor Bill Partington presents the ACE Award for Foundation Risk Partners CEO Charlie Lydecker to Rich Cooper, who accepted on Lydecker’s behalf.
Mayor Bill Partington presents the ACE Award to Florida’s Secretary of Transportation Jared Perdue.
Ormond woman gets breast cancer care from familiar faces: Keiser grads
Lynn Carr, director of Student Services for Keiser University’s Daytona Beach campus, said the former students who helped are ‘genuine, good people.’
JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR
From the moment Ormond Beach resident Lynne Carr saw the word “carcinoma” on her test results, she received nothing but support.
After undergoing her annual screening, and having received no extraordinary results, Carr, director of Student Services for Keiser University’s Daytona Beach campus, was home that same night in May and found a lump under her right armpit. She decided not to overlook it, and contacted her physician assistant, who sent her to get an ultrasound. She arrived at AdventHealth Imaging in Ormond Beach and encountered a Keiser graduate. Then, when she had to later get an ultrasound with a biopsy, it was conducted by another Keiser graduate.
The patterned continued as she battled breast cancer.
“They were just so good to me,” Carr said of the Keiser grads she met along the way. “And they weren’t just so good to me because it was me. They were just genuine, good people.”
Carr has worked for Keiser for almost 22 years. She’s seen many graduates move on to different modalities. She’s helped them find jobs and create their resumes and cover letters. Carr spends time with students conducting mock interviews, so, by the time they head to their clinical rotations, the students are polished.
Then when she needed their help and expertise, they were there for her in return. One of her two breast cancer navigators from AdventHealth was also a Keiser graduate. Carr met her after discovering she carried the
gene for both breast and colon cancer, and made the decision to have a bilateral mastectomy.
“It’s the best decision I made because I felt so good when I left there,” Carr said.
Carr’s surgery took place on Aug. 23. There’s no more sign of cancer.
“I’m a work in progress now,” she said. “... I’m going to start recreating me.”
Carr said she feels fortunate that her breast cancer journey needed
neither chemotherapy nor radiation, and has been so full of support, including from her navigators, AdventHealth nurses, and Suzi McCreery, director of public and media relations for Keiser University, who is a breast cancer survivor herself. In her own cancer journey in Palm Beach, she also encountered numerous Keiser graduates.
“The fact that we’re touching so many is really heartening,” McCreery said.
Charlene’s Dream, a free cancer support boutique opened in memory of late breast cancer navigator nurse Charlene Brady, also donated much of what she needed for her recovery. Carr has spent all of her vacation time at AdventHealth this year, having dealt with a burst colon in September 2023, which led to an emergency surgery and six months of recovery. Six weeks after returning to work, she found out she had breast cancer.
When Carr received her cancer diagnosis, she was in her university president’s office via AdventHealth’s app. He immediately told her to do what she needed to do, even though she had run out of paid vacation time. Around eight of her coworkers volunteered to donate paid time off. They brought her food, flowers and when she came back to work, her office was decorated with balloons, a welcome back banner and plants. Joshua Champion, AdventHealth vice president of ancillary services, said Carr’s story warmed his heart. It was an example of how the work Carr has done for students at Keiser has merged with AdventHealth’s mission.
“This is what we’re all about within AdventHealth — to touch the hearts, the body, the mind, the spirit of a community,” Champion said.
AdventHealth has three outpatient imaging centers in the greater Daytona Beach areas, employing 27 people. Fourteen of them, Champion said, are Keiser graduates.
Team member Rylie Stoker was among the Keiser graduates who helped care for Carr. What was different for the team in caring for Carr is that they get to celebrate the end result.
“Sometimes we get cards or different things that patients say afterwards, but being able to see you (Carr) through all this has been nice to hear that we made you feel that way, because not a lot of times do we get to hear that,” Stoker said. It has been an emotional and personal journey for Carr, but she wants to share it — if only to inspire other women to get mammograms. It’s an hour of one’s life once a year, she said. Self-exams are also important, as that is what led to her diagnosis. It was the tiniest of bumps, she said, but she didn’t overlook it. And now she gets to live to tell her story. “It’s not for me, it’s for other people,” Carr said. “Because if you wait, and don’t do these things, these beautiful women can’t help you, or they can help you but you won’t have the end result that you could have had if you had come earlier.”
Have you heard the quote, “Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go?” While we watch the leaves on trees change color, and eventually fall, it’s a time when nature reminds us that no matter how much we want to be in control – we are never actually in control. There is beauty in letting go of what we cannot control and embracing living in the present.
As you enter different seasons of life, it’s important to focus your energies on what matters most. Health, wellness and social interaction, but most importantly, having fun. Leave the things that are weighing you down like cleaning, cooking and mowing the grass up to us. At Paradise Pointe, we want you to fall in love with your new home and lifestyle. We are here to make your life easier, while also making it more enjoyable.
We have programs, partnerships, amenities and wellness and care services right here to ensure you are living a healthy, active and balanced lifestyle. Leave the rest up to us!
Lynn Carr was diagnosed with breast cancer in May. By August, she was deemed cancer-free. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
COPS CORNER
OCT. 7
GOING FISHING
12:51 p.m. — 1800 block of Checkered Flag Lane, Daytona Beach Petit theft. An Ormond Beach couple were arrested after they were caught attempting to steal three fishing reels from a sports store in Daytona Beach.
A store employee recognized the man and woman and immediately called police. The couple walked into the store, went to the second level and headed straight to the fishing aisle, where the man removed pliers from his pocket, an arrest report said.
The man cut security tags from three fishing poles and reels, placing them in the woman’s purse.
The two then headed straight for the store’s exit.
Local police officers arrived at the store just in time to stop the two from leaving and found the three fishing reels in the woman’s purse. In total, the reels were valued at $623.85.
The couple were placed
City Repertory
Theatre’s new concert series begins Oct. 18 with an Evening with Laniece Fagundes
The City Repertory Theatre’s 50-seat venue provides an intimate experience to enjoy theater. Now the theater, located at 160 Cypress Point Parkway, Suite B207, in Palm
under arrest and charged with petit theft.
OCT. 10 NO MORE RUNNING
9:46 p.m. — Intersection of Nova Road and Wilmette Avenue, Ormond Beach Fugitive from justice. A Daytona Beach transient man turned himself in to police officers after two months with an active warrant. But he did not turn himself in to a police station, according to an arrest report.
Instead, a police officer on patrol was flagged down by the suspect. When the officer pulled over, the suspect told him he had a warrant out of Volusia County and wanted to turn himself in.
The officer looked the man up and found he had an open warrant with a nationwide extradition. The suspect was wanted for several drug possession, sale and manufacturing charges, the report said.
The officer placed the man under arrest and took him to the county jail.
BIRTHDAY BLUES
11:33 p.m. — Intersection of Belle Terre and Palm Coast Parkway, Palm Coast DUI. A was Palm Coast man celebrating his birthday by
Coast, will offer that same experience for concerts, allowing the audience to get to know the artists who work in the theater and community.
The first concert will be an Evening with Laniece Fagundes at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18. Fagundes has been a member of CRT since its first season. Along with CRT Music Director Benjamin Beck and drummer Denise Elisha, Fagundes will sing Broadway and popular favorites as well as original music. Fagundes, who also performs as Laniece Rose, writes and records her own songs and is preparing to release
driving around after an emergency curfew so he could find cigarettes.
The Sheriff’s Office had enacted an overnight curfew in response to the the hurricane that had passed through the area. A Sheriff’s Office deputy was on patrol when he saw a man making repeated U-turns from the middle lanes of an intersection just before midnight, well after the county’s curfew went into effect, according to a press release.
The deputy pulled the man and asked him why he was out after curfew. The man told the deputy that it was his birthday — he had just turned 57 — and he was trying to find a store open so he could buy cigarettes, the press release said.
As the man was talking, the deputy noticed the man’s speech was slurred and his eyes were red and dilated. He asked the man to step out of the vehicle and, after a sobriety test, the deputy arrested the man for driving under the influence. The man later admitted to eating marijuana edibles.
OCT. 11
ROAD RAGER
11:24 a.m. — 800 block of Palm Coast Parkway, Palm
a new album with her band, “The Wildflowers.” Songs from the album will be featured during the concert. Her performances
Coast Battery. A Palm Coast man caused another man to rearend his car during a road-rage incident.
The two men were turning onto Palm Coast Parkway when the suspect cut the victim off, forcing both to stop at the intersection, according to an arrest report. The suspect got out of his car and walked over to the other car and hit the other driver across the face.
The hit surprised the victim, causing him to take his foot off the break, and the victim’s car rolled forward into the suspect’s car. When the victim got out to look at the damage, the suspect shoved the man backward, the report said.
The victim decided to leave the scene and called 911 to report the road rage as he left. He later told a Sheriff’s Office deputy that he left to deescalate the situation. As the victim left the scene, the suspect also called 911 to report a hit and run.
After talking to both parties, the Sheriff’s Office deputy arrested the suspect on battery charges.
Send news tips to sierra@ observerlocalnews.com.
at CRT have included playing Judas in this season’s “Jesus Christ Superstar,” as well as Billie Holiday in “Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill.”
Outside of the theater, Fagundes privately coaches voice and piano students at her company, Created Sound. CRT’s “Evening with ...” concert series will continue on Feb. 7 and April 11, 2025. Artists for those evenings will be announced closer to the concert dates. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students. They are available at crtpalmcost.com or call 386-585-9415.
BRIEFS
Man wielding shovel robs woman of $400, is later arrested, Flagler Sheriff says
A Palm Coast man was arrested on Oct. 8 after he used a shovel to threatened a woman and stole $400 from her purse, the Flagler Sheriff’s Office said.
The woman was checking on her father and had left her car unlocked in the driveway, a FCSO press release said. When she came out, she saw the suspect — later identified as Cole McComb — inside her car and armed with a shovel.
McComb threatened the woman with the shovel when he noticed her and when she ran away, the suspect got into his own car and left. The woman later told FCSO deputies that he stole $400 from her purse, the press release said.
McComb was later found in his vehicle in Flagler Beach, where he was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary of a conveyance and petit theft.
Flagler Sheriff receives sixth consecutive reaccreditation by state agency
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office was awarded reaccreditation by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation for the sixth time. Accreditation demonstrates the agency’s commitment to providing law enforcement services at the highest professional standards.
The agency received its initial CFLEA accreditation on February 9, 2005. It has been reaccredited in 2008, 2011,
2015, 2018, and 2021, before receiving its most recent reaccreditation on Oct. 3, 2024. Accredited law enforcement agencies are required to be assessed and reaccredited every three years.
After a comprehensive onsite review in August, the CFLEA’s assessment team found that FCSO was 100% compliant with 216 mandatory and optional standards and unanimously recommended FCSO’s reaccreditation to the CFLEA Board of Commissioners.
FCSO is among 204 accredited law enforcement agencies in the State of Florida, including 44 of the state’s 67 sheriff’s offices.
“At the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, our mission is to support a safe community through distinguished service. Receiving reaccreditation from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation is confirmation that we are in line with this mission and are committed to serving our community with the highest standards in law enforcement,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “As sheriff, it was my honor to accept this award on behalf of the dedicated men and women who serve and protect our community at the highest standard.”
Staly previously served on the Commission’s Board of Commissioners for six years including one year as the Commission Chair.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is a five-diamond accredited agency. In addition to its law enforcement accreditation, the agency also maintains accreditation from the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission, the Florida Telecommunications Accreditation Commission, the National Institute of Ethics, and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. Send news tips to sierra@ observerlocalnews.com.
Laniece Fagundes. Courtesy photo
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Hurricane Milton: ‘I didn’t sleep through this one’
Hurricane Milton plowed through Volusia County leaving flooding and windravaged landscapes on Thursday, Oct. 10.
MICHELE MEYERS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Hurricane Milton slammed into Siesta Key, barreled its way across Florida and exited close to Cape Canaveral, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.
Ormond Beach residents agreed that the 85 mph sustained winds and record rainfall made it one of the scariest storms in recent years.
Tomoka Estates is located in Ormond Beach off U.S. 1 and sits close to the Tomoka River. Milton ripped through the massive oaks draped in Spanish moss and saturated the already water-laden area. Yards were strewn with cracked limbs and fallen trees while many of the low-lying houses on Shockney Drive were flooded and unreachable.
Tasha Presley moved from Lakeland to Tomoka Estates with her children D.J. Roberts and Lily Crouch at the beginning of summer. Presley said if they had stayed in Lakeland, they would have probably been demolished.
“Thank God we’re over here,” Presley said. “You’ve got to look at the positive side. We’ll get through it. This is how every neighborhood is supposed to be — we get together and help each other.”
The Crossroads Grocery store is located in a strip mall on the corner of U.S. 1 and
“There is nothing I can do,” he said. “Whatever I have, I just have to throw away. It will take a couple days to open the store. I lose money — business — I lose everything. What are you going to do?”
Ormond-by-the-Sea resi-
dent Chasity Dietlin said she has lived here for 37 years and after so many, will not be leaving. Two years ago, her house flooded. This year, she has a
new roof and did not flood, but the neighbors at both ends of her street did.
“This was probably one of the scarier ones — I didn’t sleep through this one,” she said. “I think the wind was the scariest thing. I had a tree that was 50 to 60 years old and at least 50 feet tall. It finally broke for this storm and luckily missed both houses. I feel a little better now for the next storm.”
Paulette Counts lives in a
house built in 1925 in a neighborhood wedged between Granada Boulevard and U.S. 1. She and her family moved there in 2004. She said this year only the side and back yards of the house flooded.
“You know how some of the storms feel like it’s going to take your house down — it didn’t do that,” she said. “I’ll be glad when this is over. Nov. 30 can’t get here fast enough.”
“You’ve got to look at the positive side. We’ll get through it. This is how every neighborhood is supposed to be—we get together and help each other.”
D.J. Roberts (right) and Lily Crouch (second from right) walk with their mom Tasha Presley (left) on a very flooded Shockney Dr. in Ormond Beach following Hurricane Milton. Presley said the neighbors are just getting together and helping each other. Photos by Michele Meyers
Flooding on Ormond Green Boulevard. Courtesy photo
Traffic light damage in Ormond-by-the-Sea.
Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Downed trees were an issue for Ormond Beach residents living on John Anderson Dr.
Discount on US 1 in Ormond Beach suffers damage to the
TASHA PRESLEY, Tomoka Estates resident
SIERRA WILLIAMS
WRITER
The weekend following Hurricane Milton’s assault saw many Floridians without power. In Flagler and Volusia counties, though not as hardhit as the state’s west coast, some areas were inundated with flood waters or were without power for several days.
Grace Community Food Pantry was one such casualty. Its storage facility was out of power from overnight Oct. 9 to mid-morning Friday, Oct. 11.
“The hurricane came, and then I sent some guys out there, and there was no power,” said Dottie Colletta, Grace Community Food Pantry coordinator.
The pantry’s main storage facility at 245 Education Way was without power until the morning of Friday, Oct. 11 — not long enough for the facility’s freezers to thaw out, but long enough that the pantry’s team had to throw out produce that had gone bad.
Thankfully, Colletta said, their stores had mostly been emptied the weekend ahead of Milton, so only the produce that had been delivered the Monday ahead of the hurricane had to be thrown out. But they did have to turn away a meat delivery from Second Harvest Food Bank.
“It would spoil. We couldn’t keep it anywhere,” she said. “We were running back and forth, different people check-
ing [the power], and then we had it. But by then we couldn’t get anything. There wasn’t anything left to get from Second Harvest.”
At that point, she said, they made the decision to close the pantry for the Oct. 12 and 13 weekend at its Education Way and Hidden Trails Community Center distribution sites. Just at the main Education Way distribution site, the pantry regularly helps between 1,200 and 1,300 Flagler County residents each distribution weekend, she said.
Dan Samuels, the director of philanthropy with Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, said that after natural disasters, there is often a surge of families that need food and supplies for an extended period of time, as people recover from storm damage and property loss.
Second Harvest covers seven counties in Florida, including the southern part of Flagler County and all of Volusia County. The food bank supports eight local pantries in Flagler County and eight in Ormond Beach.
While it’s too soon to really feel the full impacts of Hurricane Milton, Samuels said, the food bank expects to see more need in the coming weeks as people get power back and storm waters reach their highest peaks.
“Milton seems to have created large pockets of need throughout our community as some areas were impacted worse than others,” Samuels said. “We are seeing some of the worst impacts in Volusia County.”
In Flagler County, as several thousand residents were out of power days after Hurricane Milton, the Flagler County Emergency Management Center organized a distribution site to help residents in need. From Oct. 11-14, the Flagler County and Flagler County Sheriff’s Office set up in the Daytona North area to hand out water, tarps and
MREs to residents.
Between Oct. 11 and 13, the county handed out 4,044 cases of water, 2,619 tarp cases and 1,307 MREs, according to data from the EOC.
After a disaster, he said, the food banks work together to coordinate relief efforts to the hardest hit areas based on the type of need in that community. Areas like Tampa, directly hit by Milton with thousands still out of power, need things like MREs. In other areas, residents who lost power — like pockets of Flagler County, Ormond Beach and Volusia County — need produce and meat to replace the food that had to be thrown out.
“We’re tailoring what we’re distributing in each community based on the specific needs of that community,” Samuels said.
Samuels said it is likely as well that in the months that follow Hurricanes Helene and Milton, food banks and pantries could see an increase in demand because of the economic side of disasters: The storms also devastated a lot of Florida’s farming community.
“So the price of produce, we expect will go up across the board,” he said.
Colletta said since the pantry was closed for two of its normal distribution days in the Mondex, the Mondex location will be open for service on both the Oct. 19 and 26 weekends. By that point, they will have been able to restock on both produce and meat.
“The fruits and vegetables and produce and bread, that’s all great, but it’s the meat that sustains people,” she said.
Those who wish to donate food or funds to the Grace Community Food Pantry can do so by visiting their website at gracecommunityfood pantry.org.
The food bank expects to see more need in the coming weeks.
Second Harvest Food Bank’s Dan Samuels said the food bank expects to see more need in the coming weeks as people get power back and storm waters reach their highest peaks. Caregiver
Free Care For Caregivers
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Rise up again and vote no on Amendment 2
Dear Editor:
This summer citizens across Florida rose up in protest of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s plan for changes to nine of our state parks, allowing development of golf courses, hotels, pickleball and disc golf venues in our natural, beautiful state parks. After enormous citizen opposition, the plan was withdrawn. Now, it is time for citizens to stand up once again, and vote “no” on Amendment 2.
This not-so-innocently worded
“Right to Fish and Hunt” proposed Amendment 2 seeks to preserve forever fishing and hunting, including by the use of ‘traditional means,” as a public right, and as a “preferred means” of controlling fish and wildlife.
Like many Florida constitutional amendments put before voters, the “devil is in the details.” So, I encourage you to do your own research if you do not want to believe me on this one. Look up the definition of the term “traditional means.” It includes barbaric prac-
tices such as: steel jaw traps, snares, clubbing, hunting with hounds and gill nets. These methods have been deemed cruel, and for 30 years Florida has banned gill nets that decimate fish population and kill whales, dolphins, sea turtles and seabirds.
Florida law already protects the rights of individuals to hunt and fish. There is no need for this constitutional amendment. This amendment can be used to expand hunting into state parks and wildlife preserves – animals’ only refuge in
the wake of overdevelopment. And, the amendment could potentially supersede private property rights. False advertising: I have seen on major networks claims that environmental groups support Amendment 2. Do not be fooled by “fake” advertising. The Sierra Club opposes Amendment 2. Vote No on Amendment 2.
ROB BRIDGER Political chair, Sierra Club/VolusiaFlagler Group
Publisher Brian McMillan, brian@observerlocalnews.com
Managing Editor Jarleene Almenas, jarleene@observerlocalnews.com
Associate Editor Brent Woronoff, brent@observerlocalnews.com
Staff Writer Sierra Williams, sierra@observerlocalnews.com
Design Manager Hailey McMillan, hailey@observerlocalnews.com
Marketing Consultants Travis Hurlbut, travis@observerlocalnews.com; Paula Losinger. paula@observerlocalnews.com; April Koehler, akoehler@observerlocalnews. com
Office Coordinator Kay Raymond, Kay@observerlocalnews.com
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How to stop thinking of a werewolf
It was the type of question everyone thinks about, but only a 6-year-old is humble and brave enough to ask. Make yourself at home
BRIAN
MCMILLAN PUBLISHER
During the Hurricane Milton curfew, I wondered aloud whether I should drive to the Observer office to make sure everything was OK there.
Gently reminding me of the definition of a curfew, my wife, Hai-
YOUR TOWN
Volusia library program provides bicycles to lowincome adults
An inventive program that provides bicycles to low-income, working adults has earned the Volusia County Public Library an Innovation Award from the Northeast Florida Library Information Network.
The Pedal Forward Project was spearheaded by the Social Workers in Libraries program after the County’s social workers saw a need for reliable transportation among their clients.
Votran, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Foundation, and First Presbyterian Church of New Smyrna Beach donated the bicycles, which library facilities staff refurbished. The Friends of the Library groups at the Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, and Deltona regional libraries provided bike locks, and River to Sea Transportation Planning Organization provided vouchers for free helmets and fittings.
So far, nine bicycles have been given to persons the social workers identified as needing a bicycle to find or maintain a new job.
“Connecting participants with refurbished bicycles allows them a greater sense of self-reliance and independence and affords them a wider search area for employment,” said Assistant Library Director Melissa Reynolds.
ley, said, “I don’t think they want people on the roads.”
“But we’re the newspaper,” I said.
“We’re the most important people in town!”
My 6-year-old son, Luke, was apparently listening to the conversation. As with most children, he is always on high alert for any signs of hypocrisy or hyperbole from his parents.
“No, you’re not,” he said. Barely taller than the kitchen counter, he was dutifully taking bowls out of the dishwasher and placing them in a stack. Someone else would have to put them in the cupboard because he couldn’t reach.
“Oh yeah?” I asked. “Who is the
SCORE Volusia Flagler recognized on organization’s 60th anniversary
SCORE Chapter 87 Volusia Flagler was honored by the Flagler County commission on Oct. 7 with a special proclamation recognizing SCORE’s 60th anniversary.
SCORE was created on Oct. 4, 1964. Over six decades SCORE volunteers have shared their skills and expertise with entrepreneurs across America at no charge.
SCORE is currently recruiting new community volunteers to mentor small businesses and nonprofits to help them grow.
SCORE Chapter 87 provides input to the Flagler County Tourism Development Office, mentors startup businesses and collaborates to form the Junior Chamber in both Flagler County high schools. Visit https://www.score.org/ volusiaflagler.
most important person, then?”
“I don’t know,” he said, disappearing behind the growing tower of bowls. “But it’s not you guys.”
At some point during our few days of hurricane-induced confinement, my older children decided to watch a Harry Potter movie. Unfortunately for Luke, a scary werewolf appeared, and Luke began pacing the hallway, every now and then poking his head back into the family room, where his siblings still had their eyes glued to the screen.
I remembered each of those older children being similarly scared, so, when the need arose for me to drive to the store before dinner, I asked Luke if he wanted to ride with me in the van.
“Sure,” he said, as nonchalantly as he could.
When we arrived at the store,
Luke climbed out and asked, “Dad, what do you do to try to stop thinking about something?”
“The werewolf?” I asked.
He nodded.
It was the type of question that people of every age think about, but only a 6-year-old is humble and brave enough to ask.
As I gathered my thoughts to respond to him, I felt some pressure to get this right. Maybe this was a moment he would remember for the rest of his life. Whatever my advice was, it had to be something that I was ready to follow myself, lest it become further evidence of parental hypocrisy.
Better thing of something quick.
“Well,” I said, pretending to be wise, “what you have to do is,” I continued stalling, “try to replace the thoughts you don’t want with thoughts you do want.”
He didn’t immediately respond, so I continued: “You could look at everything around you, and pay
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extra attention. Like, ‘Look at the color of this grass,’ or, ‘That car is backing out, there’s the crosswalk, who decided what the name of this store should be?’” It was an exercise in mindfulness that I needed as much as he did. I never got much of a response from him, but because of his question, I got to feel, just for a moment, like the most important guy in town.
Jewish Women’s Circle hosts ‘Honey, Harmony, Healing’ at Chabad
The Jewish Women’s Circle hosted “Honey, Harmony, Healing” on Oct. 7 at the Chabad of Greater Daytona.
The event was held in remembrance of the victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel and included prayers for the safe return of hostages. It was an evening of reflection, live music and community connection.
Participants took part in a Honey Cake Bake, symbolizing hope for sweetness, harmony and healing in the future.
The gathering featured a performance by singer Batsheva Ezagui,
who shared melodies of meaning for Israel, creating an atmosphere of comfort and reflection.
Ormond
Beach couple
celebrates scholarships in son’s honor
The Community Foundation of Northeast Florida has awarded three performing arts scholarships to students in Illinois and Wisconsin, with the Bernie G. Yvon Memorial Fund. The fund was established in 2015 by the parents of Bernie Yvon, a Chicago-area actor who died in 2014. Yvon’s parents live in Ormond Beach and Steuben, Maine.
“These dedicated and ambitious young performers need the financial support to make their dreams come true,” Yvon’s father, Bernard Rene Yvon, said.
The scholarship fund has awarded $1,500 scholarships to 33 performing arts students since its inception.
Seaside Herb Society
The Seaside Herb Society of Ormond Beach will host its monthly meeting at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 19.
The group works together to learn more about herbs and then uses that knowledge to educate and benefit others. The October presentation is on the herb turmeric, how it is grown and how it is used, a Herb Society press release said. Call 443-497-0044.
Guests fill their pans with honey cake batter at the Honey, Harmony, Healing event hosted by the Jewish Women’s Circle on Oct. 7 at the Chabad of Greater Daytona. Courtesy photos
Front row: SCORE certified mentors Dave Ferguson, Tony Flores and Philip Bailey. Back row: Flagler County commissioners
Donald O’Brien, Andy Dance and Greg Hansen. Courtesy photo
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Awakening the past
Memories come alive at the Pilgrims Rest Cemetery
MICHELE MEYERS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“You only die when your name has not been spoken any more,” Pilmgrims Rest Cemetary Caretaker
Steve Felcher said. “When people quit talking about you and your memory is gone, that is when you’re dead.”
Tales from the Pilgrims Rest Cemetery were told by reenactors at the 16th annual fundraiser held at 791 W. Granada Blvd. on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4 and 5. Tours were led by the cemetery caretakers in collaboration with Ormond Beach Historical Society officers, members and volunteers.
Ordinarily, the fundraiser was a one-night event, but this year more tours were added. The history lessons proved to be in demand when all the available time slots were booked.
Tickets sold at $20 apiece.
OBHS head docent Joyce Benedict welcomed the crowd before introducing caretakers Brenda and Steve Felcher. Benedict is also one of the OBHS Board of Directors.
“I can’t say enough about this little cemetery,” Benedict said. “For the last 16 years all the ticket funding has been split 50-50 with the Ormond Beach Historical Society and this beautiful cemetery because this is all the money they get. It is strictly a non-profit labor of love.”
Brenda and her husband Steve Felcher took over the responsibility of taking care of the cemetery when Brenda’s mother, Nancy Partridge, died of cancer in December 2021. They are the third generation in Brenda’s family to become caretakers. Brenda said she and her husband were sitting with her mother in hospice when they both had an “aha moment.”
“All of a sudden, a lightbulb came
on: ‘We have to take care of the cemetery,’” she said. “We couldn’t just let it go. We had to do it. There’s a choice, but there’s not a choice for us. At first, it was more like we have to do it, but now we want to do it. We enjoy it.”
The tours are designed to take people through the cemetery making stops at different gravestones whose “occupants” are portrayed by re-enactors from OBHS, the Sons of the Confederate Veterans or an interested volunteer. Basically, they are reenactments of Brenda Felcher’s ancestry.
“I’m related to most of the people in here,” she said. “We believe [up to] 90% of the people I’m related to either by marriage or blood. Some I didn’t even know until as recently as a couple weeks ago.”
Her story began with the pioneer families who settled near the Tomoka River in the mid 1800s — the Bennetts, the Winns, the Harpers, the Campbells and the Grovers. They started the Tomoka Settlement, which was located on what is currently known as the Tymber Creek subdivison. The settlement’s church and cemetery were organized there in 1879.
Sixteen years later, a second freeze destroyed the families’ orange groves, and they decided to move closer to Ormond Beach. Walter Campbell and William Bennett Jr. bought land where they could relocate the church. In 1906, they rolled the church 4.5 miles on logs pulled by a team of mules to where the Pilgrims Rest Cemetery is currently located.
Lucinda Grover was 15 when she married Bennett Jr. They had 15 children together. Their daughter Kansas Bennett died at the age of 4 and was the first one buried at the Pilgrims Rest Cemetery.
Lucinda (Grover) Bennett is Brenda Felcher’s great-great grandmother. Her daughter Vicie Winn is Felcher’s great grandmother. OBHS president Mary Smith played Lucinda Bennett, Vicie Winn was played by Laurie Taylor, and re-enactor Ellen Svajko played Kansas Bennett on the first three stops of the tour.
“Before I let you go, I just want to remind you to thank my great granddaughter Brenda and her husband Steve for taking such great care of this cemetery,” Taylor, as Vicie Winn, said.
There are also seven Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery.
James F. Hull was portrayed by Lynn Driggers, and Zachariah Bennett was played by Jerry Wozniak.
Hull became part of the Florida Brigade under the leadership of Jeff Longstreet and fought for the Confederacy for four years and six months. At the end of the Civil War, he settled in Ormond Beach, where he became the postmaster and was involved in many other business endeavors. In 1862, Zachariah Bennett joined the 2nd Florida Regi -
ment, which was involved in many of the major East Coast battles during the Civil War.
The Sons of the Confederate Veterans provided a mountain howitzer to be fired at the end of each tour. Driggers and Wozniak led the event goers in a rousing rendition of the song “Dixie,” by Daniel Decatur Emmett, before Wozniak and Douglas Brown prepped and fired the cannon.
Brenda Felcher wants the community to know the history of the cemetery. She said she also wants to give people a feeling of “hometownness” even if they are states away and cannot visit their loved ones’ gravesite.
“Even though it’s a cemetery, it’s alive,” she said. “We do it so nobody is forgotten.”
Steve Felcher said it is a lot of work but they love it and want people to come out and enjoy it.
“Even though it’s a cemetery, it’s alive. We do it so nobody is forgotten.”
BRENDA FELCHER
THURSDAY, OCT. 17
RIVERFRONT BEER AND PEANUTS AT TOMOKA OUTPOST
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to Sunday, Oct. 17-20
Where: Tomoka Outpost inside Tomoka State Park, 2099 N. Beach St., Ormond Beach Details: Come chill off the beaten path and enjoy ice cold beer and peanuts on the Tomoka River. Park entry fees apply.
PALM COAST CONCERT SERIES
When: 6-8 p.m.
Where: The Stage, 1500 Central Ave., Palm Coast
Details: See the U.S. Navy’s band “Pride” play top 40/pop music. Free event. Bring lawn chairs and/or towels for seating.
FRIDAY, OCT. 18
ORMOND BEACH SENIOR GAMES
When: 12 p.m. on Oct. 18, through Oct. 26
Where: Various locations in Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach Details: The Ormond Beach Senior Games is a week of competitions for athletes ages 50 and over. Now in its 40th year, the Ormond Beach Senior Games Opening Ceremony will be held on Friday, Oct. 18 at the Ormond Beach Senior Center. The games are open to everyone of 50 years old or older. They include the following sports: tennis, swimming, track and field, basketball, bowling pickleball, shuffleboard, golf powerlifting and table tennis.
CITY LITES MOTOWN & MO
When: 7 p.m. on Oct. 18; 5 p.m. on Oct. 19
Where: 5500 State Road 100, Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center, Palm Coast
Details: Motown & Mo is performing “Taking A Trip Down Memory Lane” for its the 26th annual musical performance hosted by City Lites Inc. The group will perform music from the genres soul, disco, motown and more. Purchase $30 tickets by calling 386-437-7547.
SATURDAY, OCT. 19
THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL
When: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20
Where: Flagler County Fairgrounds, 150 Sawgrass Road, Bunnell
Details: There will be food booths, entertainment, music, dancing, cooking demos, an Italian car show, spaghetti eating contest, children’s activity center, grape stomp competition, artisans, crafters, art show, “Dunk-a-Dignitary” and more. Free admission. Parking is $1 per vehicle and goes to the youth group collecting at the gate. For more information, email info@bunnellcity.us.
CRUISIN’ THE HILL CAR SHOW
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Holly Hill City Hall, 1065 Ridgewood Avenue, Daytona Beach
Details: Attend the eighth annual 2024 Cruisin’ the Hill Car Show at Holly Hill City Hall. Vehicle entry fee is $10. Free admission for spectators. Proceeds benefit Holly Hill School and UBIC Academy for teacher and student supplies.
ART IN THE
Details: Join Vincent’s Clubhouse for its Art in the Park program hosted by Allie Langan and Erica Mendes. All ages welcome. The October activity will be the decoration of Christmas ornaments for the organization’s holiday tree at the library. All supplies and refreshments provided. Tickets cost $10.
MONDAY,
REENACTORS
Re-enactor Laurie Taylor played Vicie Winn who stood by her gravestone during the Pilgrims Rest Cemetery tour.
Mary Smith (right) plays Lucinda Bennett — 4-year-old Kansas Bennett’s mother — at the Pilgrims Rest Cemetery tour. Photos by Michele Meyers
Vicie Winn by Laurie Taylor
Kansas Bennett by Ellen Svajko
Lucinda Bennett by Mary Smith
Bertie Miller by Nancy Gniech
“Bear” Davis by Bill Denny
Helen Wahlgren by Olivia Tomlinson
George Tippins by his grandson
Douglas Brown
Zachariah Bennett by Jerry Wozniak
James F. Hull by Lynn Driggers
Re-enactor Nancy Gniech plays Bertie Miller who is a descendant of two of the oldest families in the area, the Bennetts and the Winns.
Douglas Brown plays his grandfather George Tippins while standing next to the cannon provided by the Sons of the Confederate Veterans at the Pilgrims Rest Cemetery tour.
THE FINE ARTS
INSPIRED BY THE STORM
Palm Coast artist Patty Magee is a retired registered nurse with a master’s degree in Art in Medicine. She said she tried to turn the anxiety of waiting for Hurricane Milton into a therapeutic healing experience by painting the eye of the storm on two canvases using acrylic paint and sand resin. The blue one is Milton, and she also painted a red one for Helene. “I struggle with calling a painting finished,” she said, “so I since added a bit of teal to the photo of Helene.” Magee said she thought that others may be interested in a similar way of coping when isolated due to a hurricane.
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Celebrating native plants: the foundation for birds, butterflies, bees
JARLEENE ALMENAS
MANAGING EDITOR
October is Native Plant Month, and to celebrate that, the Florida Native Plant Society’s Pawpaw Chapter hosted guided garden tours at several local parks on Saturday, Oct. 5.
The chapter aims to raise awareness about Florida’s native plants and their habitats. The tours were conducted at the Environmental Discovery Center and Vadner Park in Ormond Beach, as well as Sugar Mill Gardens in Port Orange, the Marine Discovery Center and Mary Harrell Black Heritage Museum in New Smyrna Beach, and Ponce Preserve Municipal Park in Ponce Inlet.
“Native plants serve as the foundation of Florida’s unique natural habitats, are essential to all its wildlife including birds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, and provide a natural beauty unique to Florida,” said Karen Walter,
president of Florida Native Plant Society’s Pawpaw Chapter, in a press release. Volusia County Councilman Troy Kent also delivered a proclamation at the EDC on Saturday in favor of Native
Plant Month in Volusia County.
“Councilman Kent has been very instrumental in getting the Regrow the Loop kickoff,” Walter said at the proclamation. “... I think it’s real-
ly made a lot, a lot of people recognize the importance of native plants.”
Volusia launched the Regrow the Loop initiative in June 2023 as a one-year pilot program aimed at restoring and enhancing the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail. Regrow the Loop’s mission was to remove invasive plant species, increase native vegetation and promote environmentally sustainable practices.
After reporting success, the Volusia County Council voted in August to explore continuing the initiative — which was originally proposed by Ormond-by-the-Sea resident Alan Burton — at a
countywide level.
“It’s a true partnership that is not only from elected officials and government bodies, but then, it’s from many different groups that have a common goal and want to participate in it,” Kent said.
Kent was gifted with a firebush plant by the PawPaw chapter, which he said he would plant in his home.
Also in attendance at the event was Ormond Beach City Commissioner Lori Tolland, a member of the Garden Club of the Halifax Country who chaired the Vadner Park project. Vadner Park is the city’s first all-native plant park, and was created as a result of a partnership between the Garden Club and the city. Tolland said Kent is a “treasure” on the council for support of native plants. As a result of Regrow the Loop and the relationships formed throughout it, Tolland said, the city is working to change its landscaping ordinance to favor native plants.
“Every one of you have been a mentor to me,” she said to Kent and the PawPaw chapter members. “... You all are helping me move that initiative through Ormond Beach.”
Councilman Troy Kent is gifted with a firebush plant by the Florida Native Plant Society PawPaw Chapter
Members of the Florida Native Plant Society’s PawPaw Chapter and garden tour attendees celebrate Native Plant Month alongside County Councilman Troy Kent (third from right) and City Commissioner Lori Tolland (second from right). Photos by Jarleene Almenas
REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
Ocean Shore home sells for $1.5 million
Ahome at 3523 N. Ocean Shore Blvd. was the top real estate transaction for Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. The home sold on Sept. 30, for $1.5 million and has 2,076 square feet. Built in 1999, the home is a 3/3 and has a separate guest house, a wraparound deck, ocean views and direct beach access.
SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Palm Harbor
The house at 109 Cimmaron Drive sold on Oct. 1 for $740,000. Built in 2020, the house is a 3/2 on a canal and has a pool, dock and 1,780 square feet.
The house at 9 N. Cloverdale Court sold on Sept. 30 for $585,000. Built in 1997, the house is a 3/2 and has a dock with a gazebo, a pool, canal views and 2,008 square feet.
Grand Haven
The house at 27 Southlake Drive sold on Oct. 4 for $655,000. Built in 2003, the house is a 3/2 and has a screened-in lanai, pool and 2,230 square feet.
The house at 70 Osprey Circle sold on Oct. 1 for $650,000. Built in 2002, the house is a 3/2 and has a lanai, a pool and 2,439 square feet.
The house at 14 Marlin Drive sold on Sept. 30 for $475,000. Built in 2000, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, lake views and 1,546 square
feet. It last sold in 2023 for $440,000.
Likens Subdivision
The house at 12 Debra Drive sold on DATE for $637,500. Built in 2015, the house is a 3/2 and has a screened-in patio, outdoor shower and 1,826 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $471,500.
Cypress Knoll
The house at 22 Eastgate Lane sold on Oct. 1 for $499,000. Built in 2018, the house is a 3/2 and has a screened-in lanai, a saltwater pool and 2,036 square feet. It last sold in 2018 for $254,900.
No subdivision
The house at 72 Cochise Court sold on Sept. 30 for $615,000. Built in 1998, the house is a 3/2 and has a screened-in lanai, canal views, a private dock and 2,172 square feet. It last sold in 2022 for $585,000.
The house at 96 Eric Drive sold on Oct. 3 for $540,000. Built in 2024, the 3/3 house has a covered lanai, an attic and 1,900 square feet.
The house at 17 Powder Lane sold on Oct. 4 for $495,000. The house is a 3/2 and has and 1,602 square feet. It is under pre-construction.
The house at 8 Rykill Way sold on Oct. 4 for $431,000. Built in 2005, the house is a 4/2 and has an enclosed backyard and 2,472 square feet. It last sold in 2006 for $265,000.
The house at 16 Whittier Lane sold on Sept. 30 for $422,400. Built in 2024, the house is a 5/3 and has a large game room, a covered back patio and 2,705 square feet.
Lake Forest
The house at 21 Cole Place sold on Sept. 30 for $490,000. Built in 1981, the 3/2 house has a lanai, a pool and 2,522 square feet. It last sold in 1983 for $153,000.
Spring Lake
The house at 15 Jackson
Blue Place sold on Oct. 4 for $440,000. Built in 2023, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,693 square feet.
Plantation Bay
The house at 41 Meadow
Brooke Lane sold on Sept. 30 for $420,000. Built in 1996, the house is a 3/2 and has tinted windows, an inground spa, a screened lanai and 2,120 square feet.
FLAGLER BEACH
Bulow Woods
The house at 3 Bulow Woods Circle sold on Oct. 2 for $520,000. Built in 1983, the house is a 3/2 and has a salt water pool and 1,620 square feet.
John Adams, of Adams, Cameron & Co. Realtors, contributed to this report.
Pool home in Hunter’s Ridge
sells for $1M
Ahouse at 49 Foxcroft Run in the Hunter’s Ridge subdivision was the top real estate transaction for Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 in Ormond Beach and Ormond-by-the-Sea. The house sold on Sept. 30, for $ 1 million. Built in 2000, the house is a 5/3.5 and has a fireplace, a pool, spa, outdoor kitchen and 3,967 square feet. It last sold in 2020 for $660,000.
JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR
Breakaway Trails
The house at 55 Carriage Creek Way sold on Oct. 1, for $398,500. Built in 2003, the house is a 3/2.5 and has 1,888 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $234,000.
The house at 62 Circle Creek Way sold on Oct. 2, for $570,000. Built in 1999, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace, a pool and 2,082 square feet. It last sold in 2020 for $375,000.
Chelsea Place
The house at 340 Chesham St. sold on Sept. 27, for $499,050. Built in 2017, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 2,008 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $380,000.
Donald Heights
The house is 1203 Arroyo Parkway sold on Sept. 30, for $264,900. Built in 1980, the house is a 4/2 and has a fireplace and 1,668 square feet. It last sold in 1985 for $58,300.
Fountain View
The house to be constructed at 1418 Fountain View St. sold on Oct. 3, for $359,990. Once built, the house will be a 3/2 and have 1,672 square feet.
Halifax Plantation
The house at 3204 Galty Circle sold on Sept. 30, for $465,000. Built in 2003, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 2,240 square feet.
The house at 1408 Kilrush Drive sold on Sept. 30, for $550,000. Built in 2004, the house is a 4/3 and has two fireplaces and 2,592 square feet.
Laurel Oaks
The house at 735 Fleming Ave. sold on Oct. 1, for $290,000. Built in 1984, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,236 square feet. It last sold in 2003 for $137,000.
Mez The house at 77 Nicholas Court sold on Sept. 30, for $580,000. Built in 1964, the 3/2 house has a fireplace and 1,977 square feet. It last sold in 2022 for $482,000.
Northbrook
The house at 1 Overbrook Court sold on Oct. 3, for $180,000. Built in 1979, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,548 square feet. It last sold in 2019 for $107,000.
Oak Forest The house at 1505 Oak Forest Drive sold on Oct. 1, for $835,000. Built in 1977, the house is a 3/2.5 and has a fireplace, a pool and 2,123 square feet. It last sod in 2020 for $550,000.
Ormond Heights
The house at 266 Pine St. sold on Sept. 27, for $295,000. Built in 1986, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,232 square feet. It last sold in 2000 for $86,500.
Rosemont
The house at 49 Ponce De Leon Drive sold on Sept. 30, for $360,000. Built in 1948, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,229 square feet.
The Trails The townhome at 168 Pine Cone Trail sold on Oct. 1, for $284,000. Built in 1977, the townhome is a 2/2.5 and has 1,664 square feet. It last sold in 2019 for $182,500.
Ormond-by-the-Sea
The house at 20 Brooks Drive sold on Oct. 3, for $250,000. Built in 1951, the house is a 3/1 and has 1,240 square feet. It last sold in 2018 for $170,000.
SeabridgeThe house at 7 W. Sea Harbor Drive sold on Sept. 27, for $469,900. Built in 1979, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,378 square feet. It last sold in 2022 for $456,000.
John Adams, of Adams, Cameron & Co. Realtors, contributed to this report.
PALM COAST
ORMOND BEACH
Kits of hope: Holland Financial donates 1,000 homeless aid kits to HUM
The kits were the brainchild of David Holland, CEO of Holland Financial, who said people are often looking for ways to aid people in need — but may not know how.
JARLEENE ALMENAS
EDITOR
MANAGING
Holland Financial recently assembled 1,250 kits for the homeless carrying messages, and items, to provide hope.
One-thousand of the “God Loves Me” kits were donated on Friday, Oct. 4, to Halifax Urban Ministries. The kits were assembled at the Holland Financial headquarters in Ormond Beach by employees, all containing first aid supplies, socks, tissues, an emergency blanket, hygiene products, a flashlight, a panic whistle and a book titled, “The Case for Easter,” by Lee Strobel.
The kits were the brainchild of David Holland, CEO of Holland Financial, who said people are often looking for ways to aid people in need, particularly homeless individuals.
“Their hearts want to help, but their minds don’t know how,” Holland said.
He sought to provide an easy way to do that, and the idea of the kits came to mind. He wanted to provide something that people would hold on to, was durable and carried messaging that would
encourage them to seek help from the resources available in the community.
“The idea with this was to create a way to give them something that would be sustained and meaningful, and also be able to give them some important messaging,” Holland said. “... Of course, the big message is right on the kit, which is ‘God loves me.’ Not, ‘God loves you’ — I could tell them that, but the kit will reinforce it because every time they pick it up, it’ll have that message.”
His hope is that people will then seek out a church community to speak about their faith.
Most of Halifax Urban Ministries’ programs have the word “hope” in them, said Executive Director Buck James.
“We know as Christians that God calls us to feed the hungry and to clothe those who need clothing, but if that’s all we do, we don’t really make a difference,” James said. “But when you spark hope within somebody, it’s a game changer — it’s a life changer for them.”
That’s one of the reasons the kits are exciting, he added. They’re providing useful items for people in need, but they’re also carrying a message of hope. Inside the kits is also a directory of resources for Volusia and Flagler counties, including contact information for Flagler Cares, the Commission on Homelessness to Housing and United Way’s 211 hotline.
Distributing the kits, James said, is something valuable that people can now do to help.
“They don’t need to be afraid about doing it,” he said. “They can do it right there at the spot, and so it’s helping people to be part of the solution.”
Holland Financial has kept 250 of the kits for clients and employees to distribute as well.
In addition to the kits, Holland Financial also found themselves in a surplus of socks, so 288 pairs were donated to the Hurricane Helene Relief Collection. Some of the kits, James said, will likely be donated from HUM to hurricane relief.
“We’re so excited to be part of it and to play our role,” James said. “Thank you to
“We know as Christians that God calls us to feed the hungry and to clothe those who need clothing, but if that’s all we do, we don’t really make a difference. But when you spark hope within somebody, it’s a game changer — it’s a life changer for them.”
BUCK JAMES, Halifax Urban Ministries Executive Director
David and Holland Financial and all of your clients that make this possible. I think this is just the beginning of something.”
Holland said his team — he employs 25 full-time people in Ormond Beach — became very excited at the idea of the kits.
Each year, the company has a “PlanStronger Together Program” to help the community, and the kits are part of that. His company has four stakeholders, he said: employees, ownership, clients and the community.
“This allows us to fulfill that fourth and very important aspect of our organizational goals and mission, which is to serve the community, but to do it in a very tangible way,” Holland said.
Halifax Urban Ministries staff Rhonda Hodges and Surbrina Thayer, Holland Financial CEO David Holland and Halifax Urban Ministries Executive Director Buck James. Photos by Jarleene Almenas
Alphonso Alexander and John Heard of Halifax Urban Ministries load up 1,000 “God loves me” kits.
Holland Financial employees help assemble the kits. Courtesy photo
Power ball
The lights went out at Seabreeze, but the Sandcrabs joined Matanzas and FPC as first-round district volleyball winners
BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Matanzas, Flagler Palm Coast and Seabreeze all won their district tournament quarterfinals to advance to the semifinal round.
Seabreeze played a day later than the other teams and had to host a match on a rival’s court because of power issues at its gym.
The Sandcrabs’ District 6-5A match against Atlantic was postponed to Tuesday, Oct. 15 and the match was moved to Mainland High School with the Sandcrabs defeating the Sharks 3-0. Orlando Innovation, which defeated Jones 3-0 on Monday, Oct. 14, agreed to postpone the semifinal until Wednesday, Oct. 16, with the Sandcrabs (11-8) traveling to Orlando to face the Bulls (14-7).
Matanzas (11-11) defeated Orlando East River (10-9) 3-1 in a District 3-6A quarterfinal on Oct. 14 at the Pirates’ gym. FPC (16-6) swept Ocala West Port 3-0 in a District 2-7A match on Oct. 14 at the Bulldogs’ gym. It was the Bulldogs’ first district tournament win since 2018 and only their second in the past 16 years.
The Bulldogs’ season ended the following night with a 3-0 semifinal loss to DeLand (22-2), the fifthranked team in the state among all classifications. The Bulldogs finished with a 16-7 record, their first
winning season since 2019.
The Pirates were scheduled to travel Oct. 15 for a semifinal game against Oviedo, which is ranked second in the state in Class 6A.
Matanzas defeated East River, 27-25, 18-25, 25-14 and 25-12. The key to the match, Pirates coach Dawn Moses said, was serving.
“We needed to serve the ball aggressively,” she said. “And we chose to keep the ball away from (Soraya Teston), because she was really good at passing and transitioning into her attack. Also, my middles did a really good job containing her and then Natalie Zoll stepping in. She’s a middle normally for us. but she stepped in and set the block on the right side. I’m so proud of these kids. They executed all year long the things that we’ve asked them to do.”
Keri Petro had 17 kills and 24 digs for the Pirates. Faith Purvis added 13 kills and 10 digs. Rylan Miller had six service aces and 25 digs. Freshman setter Analise Smith had 44 assists and 10 digs.
FPC (16-7) defeated West Port 25-10, 25-20, 25-21. Marina Carlisi had eight digs, Dyllis Mballsube seven digs and Faith Dailey six digs. Grace Taylor had 12 assists, Faith Dailey had 11 assists. Alexis Hanna had 11 digs.
Three Bulldogs reached milestones this season — Dailey and Taylor with 1,000 assists in their careers and Hanna, who transferred from Idaho in the summer, with 1,000 digs.
Seabreeze defeated Atlantic for the third time this season, 25-17, 25-28, 25-20. Andie Litz had eight kills, 11 digs and 15 assists. Lilli Litz also had 11 digs. Haven Price had eight blocks.
Matanzas freshman Analise Smith serves.
Matanzas players celebrate.
Matanzas sophomore Keri Petro hits over the net.
The Pirates’ Olivia Chochev serves.
Faith Purvis (3) and Rylan Miller celebrate the Pirates’ district quarterfinal victory against Orlando East River. Photos by Christine Rodenbaugh
BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR
FOOTBALL RESCHEDULED
The Florida High School Athletic Association has added an extra week to the football season to help teams make up their lost games due to Hurricane Milton.
The week does not change the playoff schedule. Instead of an open week before the state championship games, teams will have another week of the regular season.
Matanzas doesn’t need that extra week. The Pirates will travel to Belleview Thursday, Oct. 17, to make up last week’s game. Both teams had a bye week this week.
Flagler Palm Coast will host DeLand on Thursday, Nov. 7, the last day teams are now allowed to play regularseason game. That game will now be senior night for the Bulldogs.
FPC will travel to Yulee on Friday, Oct. 18, as scheduled. Seabreeze will be hosting Mount Dora on Oct. 18 as scheduled. The Sandcrabs will make up their game with Deltona in the first week of November but a firm date has not been set. The Sandcrabs’ home game with Pine Ridge on Oct. 24 will be their senior night. Mainland, meanwhile, had a bye week last week so will
have to reschedule.
FPC cross country takes bite out of big apple
It had been 10 years since Flagler Palm Coast cross country coach David Halliday last brought his team to New York City to run in the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational.
The meet which is run at historic Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx is the nation’s largest single-day high school cross country meet. Olympians, pro runners and college AllAmericans have run in the meet.
“We have a really strong girls team. And if I have a team that’s strong, I like to take them,” Halliday said.
Both the FPC girls and boys teams fared well in their 2.5-mile races on Sunday, Oct. 13. But the race was only part of a unique experience that will provide memories for a lifetime.
“We had six or seven kids who had never been on an airplane before. Only three or four had been to New York City before,” Halliday said.
The students rode the subway, had dinner in Little Italy, walked around China Town and visited Times Square, Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall. They took pictures next to the charging bull statue on Wall Street, stopped in Battery Park where they could view the Statue of Liberty from a distance. And they fininshed their sightseeing tour at the 9/11 Memorial Pools.
While that was an awe-inspiring experience, Halliday said, the kids were overwhelmed at the sheer number of people and the diversity of cultures when they went to Times Square, where “the bright lights make you feel like you’re in the center of the universe,” Halliday said.
On their last day in New York, they had a final run through Central Park.
“They were just amazed to see this preserve in the middle of New York City,” Halliday said.
In Sunday’s 52nd Manhattan College Invitational, FPC’s girls placed fifth out of 23 teams in their race and 22nd out of 132 teams overall. Freshman Peyton Cerasi placed ninth with a 4K time of 16:09.7, while Arianna Slaughter was 14th in 16:22.2. Cassidy De Young, who had been slowed by Achilles tendinitis, was 28th in 17:05.6, and Madison Lagarde was 33rd in 19:22.8.
The boys were eighth in their race and 80th out of 165 teams overall.
Jevin Luna led the Bulldogs with a time of 14:32.9 for 25th place, Braedyn Wormeck was 34th in 14:47.4 and Ayden Peterson was 36th in 14:49.5.
The course is hilly on the backside, going up and downhill, Halliday said. The kids compared it to their annual preseason camp in the North Caro-
lina mountains. Halliday asked them how it compares to the state championship course at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.
“They said, ‘Coach, that’s a piece of cake compared to this.’
“The runners from Pennsylvania and New York, those girls and boys, they’re used to those hills,” Halliday said. “But I’m very proud of our kids and their grittiness. I think they proved their toughness. They ran it and they had fun.”
This is the fifth time Halliday has brought his runners to New York for the invitational. The first time was 2005. Halliday knew it was one of premier races for high school runners, and he wanted to give Justin Harbor some national exposure.
Harbor became the overall winner that year and got plenty of exposure.
“That gave him the opportunity to earn a scholarship at Oregon,” Halliday said.
The trip this year gave the runners a chance to go somewhere after the hurricane, Halliday said. The weather was nice and the leaves were starting to change. But four days after flying back home, the Bulldogs will be back in action Oct. 19 at the New World Spectacular at Cecil Field Golf Course in Jacksonville.
4TH AT SUPER 32
Flagler Palm Coast wrestlers Joslyn Johnson and Mariah Mills wrestled at the Super 32 Challenge at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, Oct. 12-13. Johnson placed fourth in the 106-pound class, winning six of eight matches, while Mills won her first match before losing the next two in the 112-pound class. Both girls won state high school championships last season.
“Joslyn continues to grow as a wrestler,” FPC and Flagler Wrestling Club coach David Bossardet said while driving back Greensboro on Sunday, Oct. 13. “We worked all summer on developing a second attack on her feet to take girls down, and we were able to see that second attack. She’s known to have a good double-leg. We decided she needed a second attack and today we saw that. She was able to execute in some big-time situations.”
Bossardet said freestyle is Johnson’s better style, but she will be returning to folkstyle wrestling as the high school season gets underway. Mills transferred from Matanzas and is wrestling for a new club. Bossardet said her results at the competitive Super 32 tournament weren’t where she wanted them to be, but it’s not time to panic.
“The vast majority of girls at the Super 32 are ranked nationally,” Bossardet said. “I know Mariah’s not happy, but there are just some things we need to clean up. She’s probably the hardest worker I’ve been around among girls wrestlers. We just have to concentrate more on the technical aspect.”
FREE FORMS by Kevin Christian, edited by Jeff Chen
By Luis Campos
Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 101 N Alabama Ave, DeLand, FL 32724. The name 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, including unmatured, contingent, or unliquidated claims, on whom a copy of this notice is served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE 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 the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE 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: October 17, 2024.
Personal Representative: Mildred Bailey - Abril 3301 SANBORN LANE DELTONA, FL 32738
Attorney for Personal Representative: Andrew J. Smallman, Esquire. Florida Bar No.: 0721611 Address: 3475 Sheridan St, Suite 301 Hollywood, FL 33021 Telephone: (954) 251-3106 (0ffice) Respectfully submitted, GILBERT & SMALLMAN, PLLC By: /S/ Andrew J. Smallman, Esq. Andrew J. Smallman, Esquire. Florida Bar No.: 0721611
Address: 3475 Sheridan St, Suite 301 Hollywood, FL 33021 Telephone: (954) 251-3106 (0ffice)
Fax: (954) 404-6003 Email: ajsmallslaw@gmail.com October 17, 24, 2024 24-00512I
FIRST INSERTION
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024 11138 CICI EF MORTGAGE LLC, Plaintiff, v. RYMAK TECHNOLOGIES LLC, a Florida Limited Liability Company; KENNETH KING, an Individual; UNKNOWN TENANT #1; UNKNOWN TENANT #2, Defendant(s), NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment dated September 11, 2024 entered in Civil Case No. 2024 11138 CICI in the Circuit Court of the 7th Judicial Circuit in and for Volusia County, Florida, wherein EF MORTGAGE LLC, Plaintiff and RYMAK TECHNOLOGIES LLC, a Florida Limited Liability Company and KENNETH KING, an Individual are defendants, Laura E. Roth, Clerk of Court, will sell the property at public sale at www.volusia.realforeclose.com beginning at 11:00 AM on November 6, 2024 the following described property as set forth in said Final Judgment, to-wit:. LOTS TWENTY (20) AND TWENTY ONE (21), BLOCK TWO (2), ROSEMONT, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT OF RECORD IN MAP BOOK 9, PAGE 109, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA.
Property Address: 167 Benjamin Drive, Ormond Beach, FL 32176 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 BEFORE THE CLERK REPORTS THE SURPLUS AS UNCLAIMED. THE COURT, IN ITS DISCRETION, MAY ENLARGE THE TIME OF THE SALE. NOTICE OF THE CHANGED TIME OF SALE SHALL BE PUBLISHED AS PROVIDED HEREIN.
Kelley Kronenberg 10360 West State Road 84 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33324 Phone: (954) 370-9970 Fax: (954) 252-4571 Service E-mail: ftlrealprop@kelleykronenberg.com /s/ Jordan Shealy Jordan Shealy, Esq. FBN: 1039538 File No: 02309810-JMV October 17, 24, 2024 24-00513I
Proxy forms may be obtained upon request at the office of the District Manager, PFM Group Consulting LLC, 3501 Quadrangle Boulevard, Suite 270, Orlando, Florida 32817, Ph: (407) 723-5900 or by e-mail at Jane Gaarlandt <gaarlandtj@pfm.com> (“District Manager’s Office”). At said meeting each landowner or his or her proxy shall be entitled to nominate persons for the position of Supervisor and cast one vote per acre of land, or fractional portion thereof, owned by him or her and located within the District for each person to be elected to the position of Supervisor. A fraction of an acre shall be treated as one acre, entitling the landowner to one vote with respect thereto. Platted lots shall be counted individually and rounded up to the nearest whole acre. The acreage of platted lots shall not be aggregated for determining the number of voting units held by a landowner or a landowner’s proxy. At the landowners’ meeting the landowners shall select a person to serve as the meeting chair and who shall conduct the meeting.
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA GENERAL JURISDICTION DIVISION Case No. 2023 12073 CIDL Freedom Mortgage Corporation, Plaintiff, vs. UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES OF CATHERINE THECKLA VELARDI AKA CATHY VELARDI, DECEASED, et al., Defendants. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to the Final Judgment and/or Order Rescheduling Foreclosure Sale, entered in Case No. 2023 12073 CIDL of the Circuit Court of the SEVENTH Judicial Circuit, in and for Volusia County, Florida, wherein Freedom Mortgage Corporation is the Plaintiff and UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES OF CATHERINE THECKLA VELARDI AKA CATHY VELARDI, DECEASED; LUIGI VELARDI, AS KNOWN HEIR OF CATHERINE THECKLA VELARDI AKA CATHY VELARDI, DECEASED; CATHERINE MANIGAULT AKA CATHERINE VELARDI MANIGAULT, AS KNOWN HEIR OF CATHERINE THECKLA VELARDI AKA CATHY VELARDI, DECEASED; SOLAR MOSAIC, INC.; DELTONA WOODS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. INC; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF LUIGI VELARDI; LUIGI VELARDI, AS KNOWN HEIR OF CATHERINE THECKLA VELARDI AKA CATHY VELARDI, DECEASED are the Defendants, that Laura Roth, Volusia County Clerk of Court will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash at, www. volusia.realforeclose.com, beginning at 11:00 AM on the 7th day of November, 2024, the following described property as set forth in said Final Judgment, to wit: LOT 63, DELTONA WOODS UNIT 2, ACCORDING
The landowners’ meeting is open to the public and will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Florida law. The meeting may be continued to a date, time, and place to be specified on the record at such meeting. A copy of the agenda for the meeting may be obtained from the District Manager’s Office. There may be an occasion where one or more supervisors or staff will participate by telephone. Any person requiring special accommodations to participate in the meeting is asked to contact the District Manager’s Office, at least 48 hours before the meeting. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Florida Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1, or 1-800-955-8771 (TTY) / 1-800955-8770 (Voice), for aid in contacting the District Manager’s Office. A person who decides to appeal any decision made by the Board with respect to any matter considered at the meeting is advised that such person will need a record of the proceedings and that accordingly, the person may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
Jane Gaarlandt District Manager Oct. 17/24 24-00139V
FIRST INSERTION
SECOND AMENDED NOTICE OF CLERK’S SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2023-12059-CIDL CHARLES D. WILLIS, Plaintiff, -Vs.CODY A. SEIBERT, ALEXIS N. WALKER, & ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN TENANTS IN POSSESSION, Defendants.
YOU ARE NOTIFIED that pursuant to the Summary Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated the 2nd day of November, 2023, Case Number 2023-12059-CIDL in the Circuit Court, Seventh Judicial Circuit in and for Volusia County, Florida, in which CHARLES D. WILLIS is the Plaintiff, and CODY A. SEIBERT, ALEXIS N. WALKER & ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN TENANTS IN POSSESSION are the Defendants; I will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash at Volusia.RealForeclose.com, on the 21st day of November, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. the following described property as set forth in said Summary Final Judgment of Foreclosure: Lot 3, Block 1, D.P. Smith’s Subdivision, according to the map or plat thereof, as recorded in Plat Book 1, page 111, of the Public Records of Volusia County, Florida.
The physical street address of said property is: 309 Rush Street, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
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 within 60 days after the sale. ATTENTION: PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
In accordance with the American with Disabilities Act, persons with disabilities needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact Court Administrator at Suite 300, Courthouse Annex, 125 E. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach, FL 32114; Tel.: 386-257-6096 within two (2) working days of your receipt of the NOTICE OF SALE; if you are hearing impaired, call 1-800-955-8771; if you are voice impaired, call 1-800-955-8770. THIS IS NOT A COURT INFORMATION LINE.
DATED this 14th day of October, 2024. /s/ ROBERT ROBINS, ESQUIRE P.O. BOX 1649 DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32115 (386) 252-5212 (386) 252-5713 (FAX) FLORIDA BAR NO.: 356026 RobertRobinsLaw@hotmail.com ATTORNEY FOR: PLAINTIFF October 17, 24, 2024 24-00516I FIRST INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No.: 2024-13494-PRDL Division 10 IN RE: ESTATE OF HORACE B. MIXON Deceased. The administration of the estate of HORACE B. MIXON, deceased, whose date of death was August 14, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is P.O. Box 6043, DeLand, Florida 327216043. The names and addresses of the personal
