Ormond Beach Observer 03-13-25

ORMOND BEACH

New House bill targets school districts’ land banks

Supervisors Adam Cozier and Shawn McKlem successfully performed CPR on a laborer who collapsed.

Two Volusia County Road and Bridge supervisors helped save a laborer’s life on Jan. 27, by performing CPR. According to a Volusia County news release, Supervisors Adam Cozier, of Ormond Beach, and Shawn McKlem, of Edgewater, began chest compressions and restored the laborer’s pulse after he collapsed on the grounds of the Public Works Northeast Services Facility in Daytona Beach. “They restored a pulse before Volusia County Emergency Medical Services arrived, restored breathing, and transported him to a local hospital, where he recovered,” the news release states. Cozier and McKlem had each taken CPR classes on their own, and this was the first time they put their training to use, the county reported. Cozier is responsible for the maintenance of drainage structures throughout the county and began working with the county in 2010 as an equipment operator. He was promoted to Road and Bridge supervisor in 2021. McKlem coordinates road maintenance services and is a Public Works supervisor. He joined the Road and Bridge team in 2005.

“Their quick actions, along with those of other Road and Bridge staff and our EMS team, played a key role in saving the man’s life,” County Manager George Rectenwald said in the press release. “Their response also demonstrates the importance of community members becoming educated in handsonly CPR.”

YOUR TOWN MEET OMAM’S FEATURED ART NIGHT FAMILY FOR MARCH

The Brown family, of Ormond Beach, were selected as Ormond Memorial Art Museum’s featured family from the museum’s March 7 Free Family Art Night event.

“We have been coming to the Ormond Memorial Art Museum for years with the generations of our family which includes three children and our niece,” the family said in a statement to the museum. “It is enjoyable to come to the museum classroom on the first Friday of each month with Mrs. King, who was our son’s art teacher when he went to VPK 10 years ago” The next Art Night program is scheduled for April 4.

Volusia County Road and Bridge supervisors Shawn McKlem and Adam Cozier. Courtesy photo

The Brown family: Sarah, Kipton, Charlie and Kelsea. Courtesy photo

Race car driver opens shop

Ormond Beach’s João Barbosa has been racing since he was 12. This year, he’s decided to embark on a new venture: Turbo Fix.

JARLEENE

ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Turbo Fix is where professional race car driver João Barbosa’s love of racing and mechanics meet.

Barbosa, an Ormond Beach resident, opened an turbocharger repair shop in town at the end of February. Located at 873 Hull Road, Unit 7, Turbo Fix rebuilds turbochargers to original manufacturer standards, as well as sells both new and rebuilt turbochargers for cars, boat and trucks. The shop also performs diagnostics.

“If you receive something that’s not working, my goal is to make it better and make it work,” Barbosa said. “... When I get in the race car, I don’t have to worry about if the car is going to break or not, I want to make sure everything is fine, and this is the same concept.”

Barbosa began racing at 12 years old in Portugal. Currently, he races in the IMSA series, which includes the Rolex 24 at the Daytona Beach International Speedway. He’s won the Rolex 24 four times: in 2003,

2010, 2014 and 2018.

He and his business partner, Daniel Marquez, had been talking about opening a turbocharger repair shop for a couple of years. Barbosa didn’t think he had the time to run a business and continue racing full time, while raising a family.

“This year, I decided to do a small step back on my full-time racing and really get going in another direction and explore different options,” Barbosa said. “The timing was just right to start this year.”

Marquez owns TurboClinic, a manufacturing company of turbocharger repair equipment based in Portugal.

“I trust in João, and we already have something similar in Portugal that works very well,” Marquez said.

“We manufacture these machines in Portugal, so we decided to do a partnership with João to open a repair shop here.”

Barbosa said his aspiration is to be the standard for turbo repairs in the state.

“There’s a lot of people doing it and they’re doing it right, but there’s a different and better way to do things with the machines that we have here,” Barbosa said.

Turbo Fix, he said, combines the technology and technician expertise needed to stand out in the industry.

“Now we’re excited to really start bringing business in and get to work,” Barbosa said.

Ormond amends code to eliminate fluoride

Since the city removed fluoride in January, Commissioner Travis Sargent said he’s received positive feedback from residents, including dentists.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

A little over a month after the Ormond Beach City Commission directed staff to remove fluoride from the city’s water supply, the City Commission voted 4-0 on Tuesday, March 4, to amend its code of ordinances, making the removal official.

The commission issued the policy decision on Jan. 21, based on guidance by Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, who, in November 2024, recommended against community water fluoridation due to the “neuropsychiatric risk associated with fluoride exposure,” a press release by the Florida Department of Health stated.

The city had been fluoridating its water supply since 1957. Removing fluoride is saving the city about $14,800 a year.

City Commissioner Travis Sargent, who advocated for removing fluoride in January, repeated similar sentiments at the March 4 meeting. Times have changed, he said.

“I believe water should be water,” Sargent said.

Commissioner Harold Briley was absent from the March 4 meeting.

Since the city removed fluoride, the commissioner said he’s received positive feedback from residents, including dentists.

Two residents spoke in favor of continuing community fluoridation at the meeting: Jerry Valcik and his daughter Amy, who have continuously voiced opposition to its removal. Jerry Valcik, a retired engineer who dedicated 40 years of his professional engineering career in providing safe drinking water, said

the city should let the voters decide whether the water supply should be fluoridated.

That’s what residents had the opportunity to do in 1957.

“You need to hold a public workshop for citizen input, especially since this has significant public health impact,” he said.

He disputed the studies Ladapo cited in the FDOT press release to support the removal of fluoride, saying they “relied on atypically high fluoride exposure levels, invalid biomarkers and insufficient sample sizes.”

“These excessively high levels are the rare exception and not the rule,” Jerry Valcik said. “Especially in the vast majority of U.S. communities like ours where water fluoridation is highly regulated at safe, optimal levels.”

Ladapo’s recommendation against community water fluoridation listed safety concerns for children such as the reduction of IQ, cognitive impairment and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and increased neurobehavioral problems in children whose mothers ingested fluoride during pregnancy.

The Health Department also reported sleep cycle disturbance, skeletal fluorosis, puberty impacts for adolescent girls and suppression of the thyroid gland as other safety concerns.

Ladapo’s guidance goes against that of health organizations such as the American Dental Association, Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association, all of which support community water fluoridation.

According to the ADA, fluoridation is the most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay.

Amy Valcik argued that the taxpayer savings of continuing to fluoridate the city’s water supply exceed the city’s annual cost. The CDC states water fluoridation results in 25% fewer cavities, she cited.

The city removing fluoride also took away citizen’s freedom of choice, she said, adding that its the

community’s underserved, particularly children, who will suffer the most.

“Extras like fluoride toothpaste and oral hygiene products are not as effective, and regular dental care is not as universally affordable or accessible,” she said. “Fluoridation of our public water reaches everyone, and is the most consistently regulated, dependable way to protect dental health. When the health suffers — of the kids who now have no access to fluoride — will you pay their dental and medical bills?”

Commissioner Lori Tolland said she felt “fairly neutral” about what has become a controversial subject. Her research of the issue, she said, showed “flawed data, studies and results on both sides.”

Additionally, she mentioned that Florida will be considering antifluoride bills soon. So is the federal government.

“If this occurs, then there’s absolutely no need for discussion or putting it on a referendum where you will have to pay for that extra voting privilege,” Tolland said.

Commission Kristin Deaton said she spoke with staff about their opinion of removing it, and experienced no objection.

“So I went and had a conversation with my dentist, and he thanked me for getting him more clients,” Deaton said.

Mayor Jason Leslie said he believes government shouldn’t be “medicating” its residents.

“I have two dentists in the family who I called and contacted and asked them their input about it, and they said, ‘Honestly, a lot of the cavities come from kids drinking vitamin waters and all those other sugary drinks,’” Leslie said.

Holding up a tube of toothpaste, Sargent read the warning printed on the back to call poison control if more toothpaste than is used for brushing is accidentally swallowed.

“I’m a 100% for removing fluoride from our water,” he said. “... I mean it’s very concerning. Call Poison Control, and once again, freedom of choice goes both ways.”

Turbo Fix owner João Barbosa and his business partner Daniel Marquez. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Career prep

CTE program leads Seabreeze students to digital media

MICHELE MEYERS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Seabreeze High School senior Tyler Lewis can often be seen running along the sidelines or in the middle of a huddle with camera in hand.

Lewis said he was “tossed” into his school’s Digital Video Technology program his sophomore year. After one week, he realized he enjoyed it, attributing that to program teacher Brett Bortle.

“I like the way he teaches us,” he said. “He’ll toss you in the deep end, but he’ll help you swim back. He won’t just leave you there. That’s what I truly like about this class and him — he’s involved with us. It’s more about the bonding you make with people you work on projects with every day.”

Digital Media/Multimedia Design

“Personally, this program has helped me find my career. Coming into high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. By going through four years of digital design and three years of yearbook, I found what I really wanted to do.”

REBECCA MORROW, senior

and Digital Video Technology programs are two of the Career and Technical Education programs offered at Seabreeze.

Currently, Volusia County Schools offers 56 CTE programs and 37 career academies, with 99% of CTE programs offering at least one industry certification, according to the dis-

trict. Last school year, 4,410 industry certifications were earned by students across the district. All programs are designed to teach students specific technical skills necessary for success in the workforce or continuing their education after high school.

In addition to Digital Media/Multimedia Design and Digital Video Technology, Seabreeze also offers programs in agritechnology and culinary arts, as well as the Allied Health Academy.

On Feb. 24, the Digital Media/ Multimedia Design and Digital Video Technology students were given the task of photographing and interviewing the Mr. and Miss Seabreeze contestants.

The videos will be included in the contestants’ upcoming performances on April 9.

Senior Rebecca Morrow has been in the Digital Media/Multimedia Design program for four years, and involved in yearbook for three years.

Course adviser Christy Transier discovered Morrow was good at digital design and had also completed multiple Adobe certifications.

After she suggested Morrow get

involved with the yearbook, Morrow took her advice. She’s currently the editor-in-chief.

“Personally, this program has helped me find my career,” Morrow said. “Coming into high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. By going through four years of digital design and three years of yearbook, I found what I really wanted to do.”

Matanzas construction students prepare to move into their new facility

Students have been installing shelving and tables in their 1,560-squarefoot workshop in the new building extension, which is scheduled to open after spring break.

In recent days, Matanzas High School’s building construction technology students have been installing shelving units and worktables in their new 1,560 square-foot workshop.

The program’s new facility is housed in the school’s Building 5 extension, which is expected to open after spring break. The new building will also include a new media center and classrooms for other Career Technical Education programs.

A perk for the building construction students is they received regular updates from HA Contracting Corp. throughout the nearly two-year construction process.

“We watched them lay the foundation and build the whole building,” senior Ian Knuff said. “It was a great learning experience.”

The building construction program’s new workshop will be roughly 760 square feet larger than its current workshop, program instructor Andy Douglas said. The workshop has a large garage door so they can receive and take in deliveries just like a real-life construction firm. A classroom with a large window looks out into the workshop. There is also an outdoor covered work area.

“We have room to grow the program here,” said junior Blaine Vogel.

CTE PROGRAMS

The career technical education programs at Matanzas and Flagler Palm Coast high schools range from Fire Academy and Entrepreneurship at FPC to Building Construction and Law and Justice at Matanzas.

The middle schools and elementary schools also offer specific programs of study. In the weeks ahead, the Observer will focus on more of the programs that are offered in Flagler County and Volusia County schools. See Obseverlocalnews.com for previous stories.

“With the garage door, we can do bigger projects in here.”

The students built all of the shelving and worktables that they have been installing

The building construction program has about 170 students and is one of the school’s largest programs of study, Assistant Principal Sara Novak said. They’ve had to cap their beginning students at 25, Douglas said, because their current workshop is too cramped.

“Here we may have the opportunity to expand, because it will be a lot safer to work in this bigger workshop,” Douglas said.

The program’s course sequence includes Building Construction Technology 1, Carpentry Layout and Carpentry Framing/Exterior. Students have the opportunity of earning three industry certifications by the time they graduate.

Each level has their own capstone project, such as a playhouse or shed for Carpentry 1 students, Douglas said. The more advanced levels have larger projects, such as the tiny house that the students are building on campus.

The upper level students are building a portable workshop for a competition in July for the Future Builders of America’s Southeast Builders Conference. It will have caster wheels, a chop saw, table saw and sliding shelves, the students said.

Last year, they built a 4-by-8-foot outdoor kitchen and auctioned it off at the competition for a $1,000. The portable workshop will be the same size. Currently they are looking for sponsors for this year competition, they said.

for the

Douglas, Matanzas High School’s Rookie Teacher of the Year, has taken the building construction program to new heights, Novak said.

“He has performed a really big facelift to get it where it needs to be for success,” she said. “When his students leave here, they will be prepared for a career in building construction.”

Email brent@observerlocalnews. com.

Seabreeze Digital Video Technology program students Carter Eby (left) and Max Kitt (right) check the camera as they video a Miss Seabreeze contestant prior to the upcoming show.

Seabreeze Digital Video Technology program student Erin Crall changes the settings of the lighting during the interviews of the Mr. and Miss Seabreeze contestants.

Seabreeze Digital Video Technology program student Allison Pate runs through a scene on the classroom set.

Seabreeze sophomores Gabryelle Wadding (left) and Logan Yocum (right) discuss yearbook content and layout for the Sandcrab baseball team and junior varsity pages. Photos by Michele Meyers

Colin Tobias and Ian Knuff install shelving units in the new building construction workshop. The students built the shelving and workstation tables

workshop.

Building construction teacher Andy Douglas inside the new workshop room at Matanzas. Photos by Brent Woronoff

Palm Coast mayor to be investigated for charter violations

City Councilman Gambaro brought the accusation to light, saying Mike Norris may be creating a ‘toxic work environment’ for staff at City Hall.

BRIAN

MCMILLAN PUBLISHER

The Palm Coast City Council agreed to begin an investigation into the actions of Mayor Mike Norris, after he was accused of attempting to fire Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston and Chief of Staff Jason DeLorenzo behind closed doors — a violation of city charter.

Councilman Charles Gambaro reported the accusation during his closing comments of the March 11 City Council meeting.

“I have a concern that was brought forward to me yesterday,” he said via phone, as he was absent physically from the workshop. “It has to do with your request for the resignation of our staff. I think it could be a major, major ethics violation.

“And it’s my understand-

ing,” Gambaro continued, “that it’s not the first time that you’ve tried to directly intimidate, or tried to force the city manger, to fire not only the chief of staff but other members of our senior staff.”

Norris’s facial expression and body language showed that he was in disbelief at the accusations. He began to say something, but Gambaro interrupted him, saying he wasn’t finished.

“It’s also my understanding that you carried out this request after our legal counsel ... advised you multiple times that your requests were inappropriate and in violation of the City Charter.

“I’m also concerned in the manner in which you delivered it, kind of like an Article 15 scenario: ‘Hey this is a oneway conversation, and I’m going to ask for your immediate dismissal from your office,’ and you basically dismiss them.”

By “Article 15,” Gambaro was referring to a military term that signifies a commander’s ability to issue a punishment without a judicial procedure.

Gambaro then asked Johnston if she could confirm that the conversations took place

“It’s my understanding that you carried out this request after our legal counsel ... advised you multiple times that your requests were inappropriate and in violation of the City Charter.”

CHARLES GAMBARO, City Council member, speaking to Mayor Mike Norris during the March 13 meeting. It is a violation of City Charter for a mayor to interfere with hiring or firing of staff.

as Gambaro had described them.

She said simply, “Yes.”

Gambaro continued: “By your actions, Mr. Mayor, I’m

SEARCH FOR NEXT CITY MANAGER CONTINUES

The accusation of charter violations against Mayor Mike Norris, involving the acting city manager, came at an inopportune time: The City Council is currently trying to lure the best candidates it can find to become the next city manager.

How the investigation of Norris might impact the search remains to be seen.

Earlier in the March 11 meeting, the council was presented with 10 semi finalists, and five were selected as finalists, to be interviewed in person in the coming weeks.

Here are the five, ranked in order from the council’s most favored to least: William (Lee) Smith III, Paul Trombino III, Richard Hough, Sonia Alves-Viveiros and Michael Reese.

Smith received a top score from each of the four members of City Council.

He has 23 years of experience as a county manager, first in Washington County, North Carolina (population 11,000), from 1993 to 2001; second of Wayne County, North Carolina (population 119,000), 2001-2014; and third in Chatham County, Georgia (population 300,000), 2014-2023.

Trombino is currently the public works director in Greeley, Colorado (population 109,000), and has also served in leadership positions in the state level in Iowa: director and Homeland Security adviser, chief operating officer, and director of transportation.

Hough is currently the director of public works and the county highway commissioner for Walworth County, Wisconsin (population 105,000); he has also held military leadership roles, including Army Element

Commander, U.S. Army Africa; senior research fellow; brigade commander; and chief of operations and strategic plans.

Alves-Viveiros received less support from Norris and Gambaro than she did from Pontieri and Miller.

Pontieri pointed out that Alves-Viveiros is the city manager/business administrator of the Township of Edison, New Jersey (population 101,000), which indicates she is experienced with city governing.

Alves-Viveiros also speaks Portuguese and is a working mom.

Reese received low scores from Norris and Gambaro, as well. Reese is the city manager of Maplewood, Missouri (population 8,000).

Interviews will begin April 1, with a decision at the end of April. The city will pay for travel of candidates.

really concerned. I like working with you, but you may be creating a toxic work environment that may be disseminating fear and intimidation across our staff that’s really working hard.”

He asked the other two members of the City Council to support his request that an independent investigation be conducted.

Before they spoke, Gambaro added that he felt it was his responsibility to bring the accusations to light, as he had learned about them. “Failure to address the concerns when they’re brought to you, in my mind, is not an option.”

Both Councilman Ty Miller and Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri agreed that an investigation should take place.

Miller stated: “I think it’s very concerning, because the charter directly prohibits any member of this council from directing staff decisions that are solely the purview of the city manager.”

The charter states that the city manager is responsible for directing staff, and the City Council is forbidden from interfering.

Miller continued: “Directing the city manager without the consensus of the City Council is also a violation of the city charter.

“It’s very hard to get past this because my concern is that, if we’re not playing by the rules, then they’re going to be abused.” No matter who breaks the rules, “it’s still wrong, fundamentally.”

Miller supports an independent investigation. He also called the mayor’s actions “blatant violations of the city’s charter.”

Norris asked to speak next, and Pontieri agreed, although Gambaro had suggested Pon-

tieri speak. Norris said: “There’s three people that were in that room that we had our conversation yesterday, and — how can I put this — I said I was going to discuss with the council, you know, about this. And it’s a little bit of frustration, but we are under a lot of pressure, here. Me and Lauren, we had a good conversation today. ... But I certainly didn’t do what’s being said.”

He said he hadn’t brought up his conversations with Johnston to the City Council during the March 11 meeting because he didn’t see the need.

“We’re where we need to be,” Norris said, “we’re working together, and I think Lauren understood I was a bit frustrated, but I certainly didn’t tell her to fire anybody, because I know better than to do that. I would never do that.”

With a half shrug, Miller replied: “She just said you did.”

Gambaro said: “Wasn’t Mr. DeLorenzo in the meeting, too?”

“Yes,” Norris said.

“That’s a problem,” Gambaro said.

“I said I was going to talk, because of my frustration, to the council,” Norris said. “I am an above board kind of guy.”

He again denied that he had directed Johnston to fire staff, but Gambaro again responded: “She just confirmed that it happened that way, Mr. Mayor. That’s the problem. The other issue you have is that our own counsel is witness.”

Norris said he is aware that there are only two positions that he — he corrected himself — that the City Council can hire and fire, referring to the city manager and city attorney positions.

“But, you do what you’ve got to do,” Norris said to Miller and Pontieri. “You want to investigate, you go right ahead.”

Pontieri emphasized the importance of working together as a council. “No decision is to be unilaterally made,” she said. “From what I hear, it definitely warrants looking into.”

She pointed out that there are five quality candidates applying to be the next city manager, calling it “a blessing — particularly in light of things like this.”

Moratorium threat cools

Palm Coast mayor proposes moratorium. Vice Mayor proposes compromise.

JARLEENE ALMENAS AND BRIAN MCMILLAN

Calling the current state of construction in the city a “Ponzi scheme for more development,” Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris said he will not support a 30% utility rate increase — unless a moratorium on development is put in place.

“Now, I know I’m going to get pushback,” Norris said during a special workshop on Friday, March 7. But, he warned: “If we don’t stop building, we’re going to be broke and we’re going to force lifetime residents of Florida and Flagler County to flee their homes because they cannot afford to live in the state anymore.”

Just three days earlier, on March 4, the City Council had voted 3-1 on first reading to raise residents’ utility bills and fix critical infrastructure. In that March 4 vote, Norris voted for the increase in order to help fix the city’s infrastructure, an issue on which he based his campaign in 2024. He changed his mind by March 7. Also on March 7, Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri said she had favored a moratorium in the past (she was the 1 vote against the rate increase on March 4). She believes developers have taken advantage of the city: “We have been crop dusted,” she said.

Councilman Charles Gambaro was critical of Norris’ proposed moratorium. He said a moratorium would harm the community’s skilled workers.

“Do we put them out of work by doing this?” Gambaro said. “Do we create an unemployment issue, Mr. Mayor, for our community?”

City Councilman Ty Miller also opposed a moratorium, likening it to “tossing the grenade.”

“This is not healthy for our city,” Pontieri said to Norris. “Decisions like this need to be though of, high level, in a robust way. ... I understand you’re frustrated. But you said it earlier: We have workshops for a reason. We should have workshopped it.”

She added: “Let’s talk about things up here. Let’s be adults about things up here.”

Details about how an investigation could take conducted will be brought to the council at the next meeting, March 18.

Deadlocked at 2-2, without a fifth council member to break the tie, neither a moratorium nor a solution to the utility woes could be accomplished. But, on March 11, after several public comments from homebuilders opposing a moratorium, Pontieri sought a new middle ground. She asked Engineering Director Carl Cote to consult with the engineers and find a way to delay some of the utility improvements. Without that option, she vowed to vote against the utility improvement plan. On March 18, staff will present a plan that would phase in the infrastructure improvements, putting less pressure on current residents.

Mayor Mike Norris. Photo by Brian McMillan

Ruddy: Board shouldn’t rubber stamp Flagler Schools spending

School Board member Janie Ruddy again questioned spending money on radio ads as wells as a $43,300 compensation study for administrators.

BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Financial items are usually on the Flagler County School Board’s consent agenda to be approved in one bundle.

But new board member Janie Ruddy has made it clear that, for some district expenditures, she’s going to ask questions.

At the board’s Feb. 25 business meeting, Ruddy questioned payments to Flagler Broadcasting for radio ads and then voted against them (the ads were approved 4-1).

At an agenda workshop on March 11, Ruddy questioned the need for a $43,300 compensation study for school and district administrators.

And, she brought up another two payments of $226.80 each for radio ads that provide information on school district activities.

She asked if the ads were being evaluated to see if they were meeting their target audience. Superintendent LaShakia Moore said the ads have been budgeted for the year.

“At the end of the year,” Moore said, “we’ll do surveys that will inform us to the ways (people) like to receive communications.”

The ads, Moore said, are

designed to reach people who don’t look on Flagler Schools’ website or read the district’s social media posts and don’t have access to parent communication platforms.

“Just a reminder, our stakeholders include people who don’t have children in Flagler Schools,” Moore added.

Board Chair Will Furry, noting that Ruddy already made her points at the business meeting, said the $226 radio payments should be put in perspective.

“We have a chief executive who we’ve put in charge of managing the budget,” he said. “We’ve given her a threshold to spend. It is absolutely our duty to have oversight and accountability over what we are spending, but when we have a general fund over $165 million, to spend this much time on $226 is not a good use of our time.”

But, Ruddy said a board member shouldn’t just rubber stamp district spending.

“You have made your point clear,” she said to Furry, “that the way you want to run your seat is you’re going to put your trust in Ms. Moore and her staff or anybody who sits in those roles, but for me, and how I’m going to serve my term is to be accountable to the people, to be the voice so they can see how their money is being spent, so they can tell me and us, do they agree, do they not agree with this. A School Board member doesn’t just rubber stamp approve these items, we investigate, we ask, we recommend policy and strategy.”

As the two began talking over each other, Furry banged the gavel and said since Ruddy

“A School Board member doesn’t just rubber stamp approve these items, we investigate, we ask, we recommend policy and strategy.”

Flagler County

JANIE RUDDY,

School Board member

already made her points, they will be moving on to other matters.

Earlier, Ruddy questioned the compensation study by Diane Meiller and Associates. The study, said Moore, would compare the district’s compensation to administrators compared to other districts.

Ruddy said she was concerned that the study would find that the administrators should receive higher raises than the district could afford and wondered if the study would be worth the equivalent of a teacher’s annual salary.

“I believe this is a good use of resources in order to identify where we are,” Moore said. “This is a category of individuals we need to ensure we’re remaining competitive with. We can pool some information together and that’s been done, but to be able to do a comprehensive study with some suggestions about how we can get to a place of getting those individuals … to where they need to be related to their salary, that information will be supplied to us.”

Lauren Ramirez, Derek Barrs and Ruddy asked for more information about the study and its scope. Moore said she would provide that.

Bill targets school districts’ surplus land

If enrollment is down, the bill proposes a district’s unused property be sold. Charter schools would be first in line to buy.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

A bill filed in the Florida House in early February could force school districts to give up land — and give charter schools first dibs.

As members of the Volusia County School Board are preparing to travel to Tallahassee next week to speak with legislators, School Board Chair Jamie Haynes highlighted a few bills to watch during her final comments at the board’s meeting on Tuesday, March 10.Among them, House Bill 443.

The bill, filed by Rep. John Snyder, R-Stuart, proposes changes to charter school provisions, including prohibitions for the school’s sponsoring entity on imposing some limitations, allowing charter schools to assign their charters to another governing board, and giving charter schools a right of first refusal for any property the school district sells.

VCS and its School Board currently sponsors six charter schools in the county.

This is a bill, Haynes said, to which everyone should be paying attention.

“I believe in choice and that parents should have choice,” she said. “I don’t know that I ever thought we would be at this point with choice.”

But, the bill has “a lot of pieces and parts” put together, she said. Public schools can transition into charters

in two ways: Either students’ parents of the school hold a public vote to do so, with no vote granted to the district or school faculty, or, a municipality can convert a public school within their city limits into a charter school.

In late February, The Gainesville Sun reported that Florida Department of Education’s Charter School Review Commission had approved the conversion of Newberry Elementary School into a public charter school beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, despite concerns from Alachua County Public Schools.

“We need to be well aware that that is something that could happen here,” Haynes said.

And if HB 443 passes, the district may have to surplus property.

If a school district has reported declining enrollment for five years, the bill dictates unused property must be sold, giving charter schools the first right of refusal.

“If this passes, they say we can’t land bank, which means we have to give those properties up,” Hayne said.

School Board member Donna Brosemer said that while the district doesn’t purchase land as an asset, land rarely loses value.

“Given the fact that the state is always arguing with us about how much they’re going to fund, it’s almost like money in the bank to have those assets available to us,” Brosemer said. “And it seems to me that’s an argument we could make to legislators to allow us to hang on to those assets until the market is ready for us to sell them, or until our need arises, and that helps us to enhance our own funding without looking to the state for anything additional.”

The House held a first reading of the bill on March 4, and Haynes said legislators couldn’t answer when a district would be allowed to buy land, nor who would approve the purchase.

“Yes, there’s areas out there where enrollment has declined in Volusia County, but there’s areas that are growing where enrollment has continued to grow and to take away the local authority for us to know when and where we need a school — and when we should hold on to a piece of property because it’s a good price versus giving it up — should be at the local [level] and not, in my opinion, be decided by the state,” Haynes said. Haynes also mentioned two other notable bills filed: House Bill 597, which allows the school district to purchase and administer glucagon to students for emergency diabetes care, and House Bill 1213, revising provisions for student transportation requirements and hazardous walking conditions.

Volusia County School Board Chair Jamie Haynes. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

JOSH WE IL

IL

DEMOCR AT FOR CONGRESS

IMPORTANT DATES

MARCH 3: Deadline to Register to Vote

MARCH 22–29: Early Voting

MARCH 20: Deadline to Request Mail-in Ballot

SPECIAL ELECTION APRIL 1, 2025 (April Fools Day)

for Florida American Dream Economy for Florida

PROTECT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY: Ensure Your Check Arrives on Time & in Full

ENHANCE SUPPORT FOR SENIORS: More Frequent Cost of Living Increases

BOOST SMALL BUSINESSES & GIG WORKERS: $20,000 Loan Assistance

HELP FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS: Up to $50,000 in Loan Assistance

SUPPORT WORKING FAMILIES: $5,000 Increase to Child Tax Credit

IMPROVE DISASTER RELIEF: Ensure a Well-Funded FEMA

FEB. 21

STOLEN RIFLE

7:50 p.m. — Intersection of Laurel Drive and East Victoria Circle, Ormond Beach Weapons complaint. While conducting an unrelated investigation, a police officer noted that a man’s bicycle lacked a rear taillamp, as required by law. Standing in the roadway, the officer yelled at him to stop several times, but the bicyclist continued to pedal away.

The officer noted the man was carrying a concealed object underneath his jacket, which was loosely wrapped around it, according to the incident report. Another officer initiated a traffic stop in his patrol car, at which point the man dropped the item on the ground, revealing a rifle’s wood buttstock.

The man told police he had kept pedaling away from the officer because he “panicked.” He was previously convicted of crimes such as burglaries, grand thefts, narcotics and a previous charge for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He was taken to jail. Police later determined the rifle had been stolen during a burglary in the first block of Laurel Oaks Circle.

FEB. 27 THEFT INTERRUPTED

3:38 a.m. — 200 block of South Atlantic Avenue, Ormond Beach

Theft. A 40-year-old man from Dallas, Texas, was arrested for a county ordinance violation after hotel staff reported he tried to steal chairs from their pool area. According to a police report, the hotel security guard told officers that he saw the man park a white semi-truck, with no trailer attached, by the hotel pool. He then approached the pool, climbed over the fence, and tried to lift the plastic Adirondack chairs over the fence.

The security guard confronted him, and the man became verbally aggressive with him, leaving as the security guard dialed 911. He was arrested at the Rockefeller beach approach for having alcohol on the beach; hotel staff didn’t pursue charges for the attempted theft.

MARCH 1

NEXTDOOR NIGHTMARE

12:29 a.m. — First block of Westfield Lane, Pam Coast

Aggravated stalking. Deputies arrested a 67-year-old Palm Coast man who walked up to his neighbor’s Ring camera doorbell and held up a knife, threatening harm.

The neighbors told police that they used to have a friendly relationship with the man, but that he “would

often overstep boundaries,” according to the police report. On some occasions, the man entered their home without permission and allowed his dog to defecate on their lawn without cleaning it up.

After an instance in July 2023 where one of the neighbors felt the man was flirting through text, she made it clear she was not comfortable, at which point she became his “enemy,” the report states. The harassment has been continuous since, including sitting on his front porch and “mooing” at her.

Deputies have responded to the residence on three different times within the past year. When deputies tried to contact the man at home, he didn’t answer. He was later located and taken to jail, where he is being held without bond.

GUILTY CONSCIENCE

5:30 p.m. — First block of Clementon Lane, Palm Coast Burglary of a unoccupied structure. A 53-year-old South Daytona man who stole — and quickly returned — a $37 piece of sheet rock from a home under construction was arrested by deputies.

The man told deputies that he returned it after determining he didn’t need it, and feeling guilt for taking it.

He was taken to jail, as he was seen on surveillance footage driving onto the property, which had a “no trespassing” sign posted.

BRIEFS

Woman claiming to be campaign worker arrested for burglary, theft

On March 7, Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested an Orlando woman, who claimed to be working for Congressional District 6 candidate Josh Weil’s campaign, for burglary and theft after deputies responded to a call regarding a suspicious person with a bicycle inside the fenced yard of a vacant home in Palm Coast.

The suspect, Arlecia Darnae Brown, 35, was distributing Weil’s campaign fliers at the time of her arrest and matched the description of a suspect involved in the theft of a bicycle within the same residential neighborhood the night before. Brown had two Florida driver’s licenses that were not hers and burglary tools in her possession.

Detectives began investigating the theft on March 6 after a victim contacted the FCSO Communications Center to report the stolen bicycle. According to the victim, her child left the bicycle inside an open garage, and when the child returned to retrieve it, the bicycle was gone.

A tip helped deputies locate and recover the stolen bicycle from behind the tool shed of the vacant home.

Brown was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where she is being held on a $67,500 bond.

Bunnell residents arrested on drug, child and animal abuse charges

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested four people on Tuesday, March 4, after a search warrant led to the dis-

covery of drugs, a child and two dogs living in what deputies described as “deplorable conditions,” according to a press release.

The FCSO reported that its Special Investigation Unit, with assistance from the FSCO and Putnam County Sheriff’s Office SWAT teams, served a narcotics-related search warrant — obtained after an undercover operation — in the 5000 block of Nutwood Avenue in Bunnell. During a search of the residences, which consisted of four RVs and a modular home on one property, detectives seized methamphetamine, cannabis, drug paraphernalia and multiple firearms, the press release states.

Detectives found the child and two dogs inside one of the RVs, reporting that both dogs appeared to be emaciated and had untreated skin infections that caused extensive fur loss. The Florida Department of Children and Families took custody of the child; Flagler Animal Services took custody of the dogs.

David Price, 38, and Clara Sands-Benefield, 30, resided in the RV where detectives found the child and dogs. They were were arrested on child neglect and animal cruelty charges. Price was additionally arrested for possession of marijuana (20 Grams or Less) and possession of drug paraphernalia. They were transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where they were later released on $4,000 and $3,000 bonds, respectively.

Margaret Rush, 55, and Howard Crouch, 53, were arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both were transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. Rush was later released, and Crouch is being held on a $3,500 bond.

Former Flagler paramedic faces fraud charges

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has filed additional charges against a former Flagler County Fire Rescue paramedic who was arrested last year for sexually battering an unconscious 19-yearold woman while transporting her to the hospital. The FCSO reports that James Melady, who was arrested on Sept. 11, 2024, is facing fraud charges after detectives determined he had defrauded multiple victims by stealing their credit cards and identification while performing his official duties as a paramedic, a press release stated.

Tractor truck driver killed on I-95 in Flagler

A tractor truck driver was killed in a one-vehicle crash on Interstate 95 on March 10 when the truck hit a tree and become engulfed in flames. The accident happened at 4:08 p.m. in the southbound lanes near mile marker 290 in Flagler County, a Florida Highway Patrol press release said. The truck hit a tree and then caught fire, becoming fully engulfed in flames, the press release said.

FCSO introduces therapy K-9 for detention deputies

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has added a therapy dog for the its Court and Detention Services Division. Therapy K-9 Lucy will assist detention deputies in the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. She is a toy Australian Shepherd, born on July 6, 2017. Her handler is Cathleen Relyea, who supervises offender programs and services at the inmate facility.

FCSO to add 12 deputies, per public safety plan

The five-year plan, now in year two, will add 37 deputies to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office by 2029.

ALMENAS

JARLEENE

MANAGING EDITOR

In September 2024, the city of Palm Coast and Flagler County funded a total of 12 new deputies for the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. As both governments begin to lay out their budgets for 2025-2026, Sheriff Rick Staly is seeking 12 more.

The addition of the new deputies is part of a five-year public safety plan aimed at continuing to serve the county’s growing population. Now in year two of the plan — which will add a total of 37 deputies — the Sheriff’s Office is again asking the city to fund nine new deputies, and the county three.

Palm Coast is the biggest city served by the Sheriff’s Office, accounting for 80% of the call volume. As there are new elected officials in both the City Council and County Commission, Staly said he wished to hold a workshop between all three bodies so all of them understand the plan.

The workshop on Thursday, March 6, did just that.

“I think it’s important that we know what the needs are and what the expectations, hopefully going forward, are so that nobody is caught by surprise,” Staly said. “... It would be better if we just plan for the future and plan it out going forward.”

The Sheriff’s Office reported a slight decrease in total calls for service, going from 119,229 calls in 2022-2023, to 117,917 in 2023-2024. However, what did see a minor increase , according to data presented during the workshop, were the numbers of citizen initiated cals for service: Those increased from 49,631 in 2022-2023, to 49,844 in 2023-2024.

Staly attributed the Sheriff’s Office crime reduction efforts for a part of that decrease.

“And we know that we have a reputation in the criminal world to not play around in Flagler County,” he said.

Staly also spoke about future growth needs. Currently, the Sheriff’s Office splits its service area into three districts. With significant growth in the pipeline in the west along North U.S. 1, Staly said the Sheriff’s Office is in the beginning stages of creating a fourth service district model, to be implemented in January 2026.

“Now, that won’t be a full district in the beginning, because it doesn’t justify full service because it’s still a lot of wooded area, but the growth is coming,” Staly said.

The Sheriff’s Office conducted a study in December 2022 that found the agency was 81 deputies short to maintain its current level of service amid future growth,

BRIEFS

Circuit Judge Case to continue as chief judge

Staly said. The plan to add 37 deputies over a five-year period doesn’t improve the level of service, just maintains it.

For fiscal years 2028 and 2029, the plan calls for the city and county to fund five new deputies each. If calls of service remain the same, or decline, it’s possible that due to the addition of deputies in future years, the level of service will improve — or that the total number of deputies needed to be funded will decrease.

The Sheriff’s Office has calculated it needs one deputy for every 308 calls for service, per shift.

County Commissioner Leann Pennington said she was grateful to hear that plans to split up the Sheriff’s Office District 3 into a District 4 were in the works.

“While you get a very immediate call to service in Palm Coast, in District 3, just based on its size — there’s proper staffing out there, but you could be working a call at Cody’s Corner and have to head over to Andalusia, and it just takes the deputy, 20, 30, minutes just to get to that,” Pennington said. Staly said that service on the west side will not be equal to that in the city of Palm Coast based on the size of the district.

“There are sectors within that, that they are assigned to work, but they’re still big sectors,” he said. “Then when you look at the sectors in the city of Palm Coast, they’re significantly smaller because of the population that’s in that area. So it’ll never be equal, and I don’t think any taxpayer wants to pay to make it equal, because that would be very expensive.”

City Councilman Ty Miller asked when was the last time a rate study was conducted for impact fees. The County Commission adopted new impact fees in December 2021.

Staly said impact fees are too low.

But, because of House Bill 337, local government impact fees can only be updated every four years, and with a maximum of a 50% increase, County Manager Heidi Petito said. If impact fees are increased by more than 25%, they must be phased over a four-year period. A study would be required for an increase of over 50%.

“We could,” County Commission Chair Andy Dance said. “It’s always helpful to pre-plan, so we need to probably bring that back soon, because that falls on us, on the county.”

Circuit Judge Leah R. Case will again lead the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court as chief judge beginning July 1. Re-elected by judges in Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia counties, Case will continue administrative supervision of the circuit for another two-year term. She will also maintain her duties on the bench, where she presides over a felony docket in Daytona Beach. A judge since 2010, she has presided over dependency, civil, and felony dockets. She currently serves in the criminal division.

Ormond seeks grant funds for pedestrian, bike path on Hand Ave.

The $1.7 million mixeduse path is proposed to run from Williamson Boulevard to Clyde Morris Boulevard.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Ormond Beach is pursuing funding to construct a mixeduse path on Hand Avenue, from Williamson Boulevard to Clyde Morris Boulevard.

The City Commission unanimously approved a grant application submission to the River to Sea Transportation Planning Organization to help fund 85% of the design and construction cost for the project, which is priced at $1.7 million. The 10-foot mixeduse path will provide an eastwest connection for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Assistant City Manager Shawn Finley said the project is part of the city’s efforts to assemble its trail network, as outlined in a 2016 Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.

“We’ve been working our way through those projects and they’re either trying to

complete them, or do exactly what we’re doing with this one — get them submitted to the TPO to help get grant funding for design and construction,” Finley said.

The city has a few other similar projects in the works, including one on North U.S. 1, connecting Airport Road to Broadway Avenue, and the Thompson Creek Trail Project, which will pass through downtown Ormond Beach and connect Central Park and Sanchez Park. That project is slated to receive TPO funding in 2027.

But, there aren’t many eastwest mixed-use paths in the city, Finley said.

Additionally, Volusia County is in the process of designing a widening project for Hand Avenue between Nova Road and Clyde Morris Boulevard. The city has been speaking to county staff on including a mixed-use path along that stretch as well.

The proposed 10-foot path will be an extension of that.

“It gives connectivity from, essentially the hospital to Central Park, which I think is a good thing,” Finley said.

According to the city staff report for the grant appli -

cation request, the city will provide a 15% match for the multi-year project.

When the city completed its Parks and Recreation Master Plan update in 2021, trails were one of the top citizen requests.

“I think it’s really great that people have spoken and let us know that that’s something important to them,” Finley said. “That makes it easier to make it a priority — when we are able to point to reports and studies and surveys, that people are asking for these types of trails and projects. It helps our application, because we can show that’s really something that the community supports.”

Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. Fhoto by Sierra Williams

The 10-foot mixed-use path will provide an east-west connection for pedestrians and bicyclists. Map courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach

Circuit Judge Leah R. Case. Courtesy photo

Q+A JOHN PHILLIPS, PC-F CHAMBER PRESIDENT

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

One of John Phillips’ first chores as the new president of the Palm Coast-Flagler County Regional Chamber of Commerce was spray painting lines on the field for the Chamber’s SpringFest event.

As a former college athletic director, painting lines on a field is a task he knows well. Phillips has been involved in athletics most of his life. After serving two years in the Air Force, he played baseball for three years at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and then worked in the Daytona Beach school’s athletic department for 27 years, the last 10 as the athletic director. On the side, he has been a radio sports broadcaster.

He remained in the sports business when he became CEO of the Pictona at Holly Hill pickleball complex on July 1, 2024, but left less than seven months later while he was in the interviewing process with the chamber, which he said is just a better fit for his skills. He takes over for board member Howard Holley, who served as the Chamber’s interim president for five months after President and CEO Greg Blose stepped down in September.

The Palm Coast-Flagler County Chamber is less than five years old. It was established in August 2020, after the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce dissolved because of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“John Phillips is the right leader at the right time for the Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber,” Chamber Chair Michael Chiumento said in announcing Phillips’ hire. The Observer sat down with Phillips in his new office on March 6, which was officially his fifth day on the job.

WHAT DOES THE JOB OF CHAMBER PRESIDENT ENTAIL?

Right now, I’m the chief listening officer, just trying to learn what the challenges are, working with our board. The overall goal of the chamber obviously is connect business to business, certainly, business to community and community to business, and we’re trying kind of that hub and spoke system — I’ll use an aviation term because I have that background there. We’re in the center.

THERE HAS BEEN SOME TURNOVER WITH THE CHAMBER. WHAT WASN’T WORKING? HOW CAN THEY BE FIXED?

One of the things I asked the board during my interview process was after the first 30 days, what would be an accomplishment that would help make me successful, and the most important

thing I need to tackle, and they talked about policies, procedures and getting our organization of the chamber kind of cleaned up and put back together. And so that’s what I’ve been doing, focusing on our policies. What happens if someone were to walk in the door right now and say, I want to join the chamber. What’s that process look like? What do we do for them? What do we provide? Do we promote them on social media? How do we get them onto our website? How do we tell their story? How do we connect them to our other members? And those are the things that I’m trying to find ou.

HOW DO YOU GROW MEMBERSHIP? It’s that classic chicken or egg thing. What value do we provide to members? Why should someone join the chamber? This chamber is

TRIBUTES

not a Palm Coast chamber. This is a Flagler County chamber. We’re going to focus on Palm Coast, because that’s where a lot of people and businesses are, but we need to advocate for Flagler Beach, for Bunnell and for all the residents of Flagler County.

YOU WERE AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AT A PRETTY BIG UNIVERSITY. IS THERE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE THAT CARRIES OVER?

It’s probably more similar than it is different. The athletic department at EmbryRiddle is a multi-million dollar business. It’s about a $14 million budget. I had 52 full-time employees at Embry-Riddle. And there’s two here at the chamber. So that’s that’s very different, but as you know it’s all about relationships. Collegiate athletics is about relationships from the business side. I needed to get out and help sell tickets, help sell sponsorships, help get businesses connected to Embry-Riddle. That’s the same way here. I’m connecting with the businesses. I want to try to be the face of the chamber and help people grow together.

One of the things I’m trying to do is to find out what our businesses’ needs are. Where do they need to grow? Is there an entrepreneurial series that young businesses need to learn from other experts who have built their own business? There are some great leadership events for women.

But that’s our job: to provide educational opportunities for business people to grow their business.

LETTERS

First responders save lives

Dear Editor:

It was a dark and dreary night. In fact, it was in the middle of the night when our house alarm went off. I called 911. Within minutes two patrol cars were at our house. If wasteful spending and fraud is found in our government, it could go to pay our police more. My grandson is a policeman. In a speech at the police academy, he challenged the cadets to change many lives for the better. Our police do change many lives for the better. Whether they put their lives in danger to pull over a drunken driver or respond to a 911 call in the middle of the night, they save lives.

BARBARA SANDBERG

Ormond Beach

Flagler County is simply following FAA regulations

Dear Editor:

Let’s talk about the Flagler County Airport Overlay Ordinance—the latest topic setting off alarm bells. Height restrictions! Mysterious “overlay surfaces”! The “65DNL” (65 Decibel Day Night Average Sound Level). Before we grab our pitchforks, let’s unpack what’s really happening. The airport itself has long frustrated some residents. Noise complaints, flight schools, and endless touchand-go landings are common. Concerns about safety, property values, and quality of life? All valid. But many of these issues fall under FAA jurisdiction. Local officials can advocate, but they don’t control air traffic, noise levels, or flight patterns. If you want to yell at someone, try the FAA.

Now, the ordinance. It looks intimidating, packed with government-speak and

YOUR TOWN

Flagler students win grants for community garden

Three Flagler County High School students presented their community garden project at the Social Innovation Fund pitch competition and were awarded a total of $2,300 in grants and donations.

Aasi Bharucha and Elisabeth Chheang of Flagler Palm Coast and Lucas Espinoza of Matanzas are working together on the project which is a Community Problem Solving project with the Future Problem Solvers organization.

migraine-inducing maps. It establishes five airport “surfaces” — Horizontal, Conical, Primary, Approach, and Transitional — a Runway Protection Zone (RPZ), and the 65DNL noise standard. Sounds ominous? Here’s the reality: Flagler County is simply following state and federal law—Florida Statute 333 and FAA regulation 14 CFR Part 77. The county isn’t making new rules; it’s ensuring compliance.

The ordinance covers a 3.5-mile radius around the airport, affecting over 16,000 parcels and more than 10,000 residents. Sounds massive—until you realize most restrictions are about building heights. Flagler County already has height limits: residential properties max out around 35–45 feet, and commercial buildings rarely exceed 100 feet. The overlay’s height limits? Mostly 50, 100, and 150 feet. For most property owners, it changes nothing.

What about the 65DNL?

Another FAA creation determining acceptable noise levels. The county can’t change it. A “Part 150 Study” could reevaluate it, but guess who decides if that’s needed? The FAA. See the pattern?

The RPZ has some landuse restrictions, but it’s almost entirely within airport property. Only three private parcels are affected, none of them homes. The “they’re taking our land” panic? Unfounded.

Ultimately, this ordinance is government paperwork aligning us with federal regulations. It’s not a land grab, and it’s not bulldozing anyone’s house. Bureaucratic jargon makes these things seem scarier than they are, but when broken down, the impact is mild. How do we tackle issues like this? The same way you eat an elephant—one bite at a time. Before assuming the worst, remember: our elected officials live here, too. They

The competition on Feb. 20 was hosted by Generation Impact, an affinity group of the Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties. The Generation Impact Social Innovation Fund provides local high school, college and vocational school students with mini-grants to help them implement innovative projects that address critical challenges in the two counties.

To be a part of the competition, all projects must work to improve the lives of the ALICE population (Asset Limited Income Constraint and Employed), according to a press release. The students were paired up with a mentor from Generation Impact to prepare.

Among the three other student projects, Daytona State College’s Community

deal with the same ordinances, the same airport noise, and the same FAA red tape as the rest of us.

RON LONG Palm Coast

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

Outreach Mobile Salon won $3,000 in grants and donations.

AdventHealth presents FPC, Ron Steinwehr with Safe Sport School Award

AdventHealth presented Flagler Palm Coast High School with the Safe Sport School Award, a national recognition given by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Erik Nason, AdventHealth East Florida Division’s director of strategic partnerships, presented the award to FPC athletic trainer and AdventHealth team member Ron Steinwehr and to FPC athletic director Scott Drabczyk before the Bulldogs’ baseball game on March 4.

ONE DAYTONA ART FESTIVAL

APRIL 5 & 6, 2025 10AM-5PM

John Phillips

YOUR TOWN

Right whales —

a

mother

and calf

— spotted off Ormond Beach

A mother-calf pair of right whales was spotted close to shore off Ormond Beach on Sunday, Feb. 23.

The Marineland Right Whale Project reported in a newsletter that the mother was identified by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as Platypus. She had not been seen since Jan. 8 off Cumberland Island, when FWC spotted her without a calf, meaning she was pregnant at the time. Platypus’ calf is the 10th of the season. Feb. 23 was an eventful day for right whale sightings, with a total of 15 whales spotted in Florida waters, MRWP reported. This figures includes four calves. Additionally, MRWP stated many humpback whales have been sighted this season, including one seen swimming south past Marineland on Feb. 26. To report sightings, call the Right Whale Hotline at 1-888-979-4253.

Colonial America comes to life in Ormond Beach with traveling exhibit

Ormond Beach residents did a double take as they drove past the Anderson-Price Memorial Building in late February.

Colonial soldiers in full uniform waved from the roadside, their wives in elegant 18th-century gowns smiling at passersby. It wasn’t a trick of the eye — it was history coming to life.

The Ormond Beach Historical Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution Ormond Chapter, and the Daytona Ormond Sons of the American Revolution hosted the American Revolution Experience, a traveling exhibit that brought the Revolutionary era to the heart of the city. Part of the nationwide celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, this 10-day event immersed visitors in the sights, sounds, and struggles of the country’s founding period.

One of the biggest highlights?

Meeting George and Martha Washington — or at least, their uncanny reenactors (Bill and Cara Elder).

Guests shook hands with the first President and First Lady, engaging in discussions about 18th-century politics, and even learning how to

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properly address them in Colonial society. And talking to Alexander Hamilton (Joe Vedder) about his life from an orphaned boy to Revolutionary hero.

Attendees took part in a “Not Only in Boston” Tea Party, exploring the significance of tea (and rebellion) in American history. And what better way to celebrate General Washington’s legacy than with a grand Birthday Ball? Guests in period attire danced the night away, reveling in an atmosphere that felt straight out of 1776.

“The extraordinary ten-day event welcomed hundreds of our citizens to this traveling exhibit, which is

making its way across the USA,” OBHS President Mary Smith said.“... We look forward to many future collaborations sharing the history of our nation and our beautiful Ormond Beach.”

Flagler Schools recognizes Outstanding School Volunteers

Three Flagler Schools volunteers received Outstanding School Volunteer awards at the Feb. 25 School Board meeting. Matanzas High School senior Violet Ochrietor was the youth volun-

teer winner (age 20 or younger).

Stacy Smith, a volunteer at Bunnell Elementary School, won the award for volunteers age 21-61. And Mary Jo Woronoff, a volunteer at Indian Trails Middle School, was the senior volunteer award winner (age 62 or older).

They each received a certificate of appreciation from Superintendent LaShakia Moore at the board meeting.

First Baptist

preschoolers enjoy visits from SWAT team members, therapy dogs

Preschool students at First Baptist Christian Academy were treated to an educational experience when Flagler County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team members and local therapy dogs visited the campus.

The event provided the children with an opportunity to learn about safety, community service and emotional well-being in an interactive way. The SWAT team held a demonstration of their specialized equipment. The therapy dogs were also a hit with the preschoolers. These dogs helped teach the children about emotional support.

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GARAGE SALE

Ken and Natalie Ivey, Ormond Beach Historical Society President Mary Smith, Anastasia and Dave Kolodzik. Courtesy photo

YOUR NEIGHBORS

CELEBRATING READING

Student authors and readers flocked to the Flagler Reads event in Town Center.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Participants at the second annual Flagler Reads event included student readers and student authors. Children of all ages flipped through

books looking for the perfect read at the free-book tables. Other activities at the March 6 event at Central Park in Town Center included story walks along the paved paths, the Noah’s Ark Petting Zoo, panel discussions with two groups of student authors, balloon animals, student artwork and crafts and games.

Buddy Taylor Middle School student Luke Reiter twisted balloons into animal shapes for kids. It’s a skill he has been working on for two to three years, he said “I watched videos on how to do it. Then I got balloons and different pumps,” he said. “I’ve been doing it at parties and other events. It’s cool to show people.”

The first panel discussion included four Flagler County students who have published books: Caleb Hatha way and Mackenzie Wheat of Fla gler Palm Coast High School, Abbigail L. Standish of Matanzas High School and Bella Gregory of Buddy Taylor.

Hathaway said his historical novel, “The Gunrunner’s Gambit,” begins in St. Augustine and the Fla gler County area in 1836 at the start of the second Seminole War and advances into Jupiter and the Florida Keys. Wheat’s novel,

“Kala,” is about a group of friends trying to solve a mystery, she said. Standish’s “The Prophesy of Times -

— and Margaret Reiter (Wadsworth Elementary), who placed second in a Marine Magafauna Foundation creative writing contest and got to name a manta ray. She named it “Neptune.”

ed four Josh Crews Writing Project authors — Adela Rodriguez (Belle Terrementary), Logan Glovertary) and Laila Gray (Indian Trails Middle School)

“I love that we had the opportunity to spotlight amazing authors in our district,” said Celeste Ackerman, Flagler Schools teaching and learning specialist for English Language Arts.

Flagler Reads was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Flagler County and the Flagler County Education Foundation.

The Casements Camera Club presents its 32nd ‘Ebony & Ivory Show’

‘The Eye Has it’ by Judith M.Schutz won both Best of Show and The Casements Award.

The Casements Camera Club’s 32nd

“Ebony and Ivory Show” is now on display at The Casements’ gallery in Ormond Beach.

The exhibit includes 45 images made by 30 photographers, all members of The Casements Camera Club. An awards reception for the black and white image exhibit was held on

March 1. The entries were judged by Eric Breitenbach, professor emeritus of photography with Daytona State College, a press release stated. The Casements Award was selected by staff of The Casements.

The winners were:

„ Best of Show and The Casements Award: “The Eye Has It” by Judith

M. Schutz

„ First place: “Totally Rad” by Virginia Rice

„ Second place: “Adobe Decor” by Tom Silvey

„ Third place: “White Lotus” by Donna Armstrong

The exhibit will remain on display through March 31. Gallery hours are

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. “We welcome the public to come out to The Casements to enjoy these award-winning photos along with others on display, ” The Casements Camera Club President Ans van Beek Torkington said in the press release.

Buddy Taylor Middle School librarian Stacy Anderson (right) and her husband, Paul Anderson, take their turn at a table at Flagler Reads.

Matanzas High School student Abbigail L. Standish holds up her book, “The Prophesy of Times End,” an adventure fantasy published last year.

Flagler Palm Coast High School student Caleb Hathaway holds up his published book, “The Gunrunner’s Gambit.” Photos by Brent Woronoff

Colt Ackerman and Corian Billek look through books.

Flagler County Public Library’s Christina Naves and Penny Gerlach gave out free books at Flagler Reads.

“Totally Rad” by Virginia Rice.

“White Lotus” by Donna Armstrong. “Adobe Decor” by Tom Silvey.

LOCAL EVENTS

THURSDAY, MARCH 13

REMOVING INVASIVE PLANTS FROM YOUR YARD

When: 5:30-6:30 p.m.

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

Details: Attend this ReGrow the Loop event, featuring Ormond Beach City Arborist Laura Ureta and Bryce Merritt, of the Florida Department of Agriculture.

MANDY GONZALEZ IN CONCERT When: 7 p.m. Where: Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center, 5500 E. Highway 100, Palm Coast Details: Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez, known for her roles in “Hamilton” and “In The Heights,” will perform at the Fitzgerald. Tickets cost $54-$64. Visit flaglerauditorium.org.

FRIDAY, MARCH 14

RUMMAGE SALE

When: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 14-15

Where: Universalist Congregation of Ormond Beach, 56 N. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach

Details: Peruse home goods, electronics, clothing, collectibles and art. Free parking available. Proceeds benefit church outreach programs for the local community. Visit uuormond.info for more information.

HOTEL CALIFORNIA ‘A SALUTE TO THE EAGLES’

When: 8 p.m.

Where: Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center, 399 N. U.S. 1, Ormond Beach

Details: Elko Concert presents, “Hotel California ‘A Salute to the Eagles.’ The group will reproduce the Grammy award winning sounds of this legendary California

group. Tickets cost $54-$59. Visit ormondbeachperformingartscenter.csstix.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 15

WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP

When: 1-4 p.m.

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

Beach

Details: Learn to paint in watercolor with artist Bibi Gromling. All supplies included in the $75 class fee. No drawing required. Class is limited to six students. Call 386-3179400 to reserve a spot.

ALL YOU CAN EAST PASTA DINNER

When: 5-7 p.m.

Where: St. James Episcopal Church, 44 S Halifax, Ormond Beach

Details: The Ormond Beach Lions Club are hosting this dinner. Proceeds slated for local services for the vision and hearing impaired. The dinner costs $20 for adults and $10 for children 3-10. Children under 3 eat free with a paid adult. For tickets, visit ormond-beach-lions-clubfoundation.square.site.

‘DIRECT FROM NY’ THE NY ROCKABILLY ROCKETS When: 7 p.m. Where: Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center, 399 N. U.S. 1, Ormond Beach

Details: The NY Rockabilly Rockets are presenting a new show, “Good Rockin’ Tonight.”

Prepare for two hours of pure ‘50s and ‘60s vintage rock & roll in this theatrical Vegas style show. Tickets cost $49$59. Visit ormondbeachperformingartscenter.csstix.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 16

LOW-COST PET SHOT

CLINIC

When: 9-11 a.m.

Where: Astro Skate Ormond, 250 N. Yonge St., Ormond Beach

Details: Get your pet vaccinated at a lower cost. . No appointment needed. Clinic is open to everyone.

Proceeds benefit abused animals. Visit spcavolusia.org.

PLANTATION BAY ANNUAL

ART SHOW

When: 1-4 p.m.

Where: Founders Country Club, 301 Plantation Bay Drive, Ormond Beach

Details: Plantation Bay is hosting its 21st annual Art Show and Sale. The show will feature about 20 resident artists exhibiting original paintings, photography, jewelry, sculpture, and more.

‘DANCING ON THE EDGE OF CHAOS AND ECSTASY: THEN AND NOW’

When: 2-3 p.m.

Where: Art League of Daytona Beach, 433 S. Palmetto Ave., Palm Coast

Details: Artist Pam Coffman will discuss her process, techniques, themes and share the inspiration and stories behind some of the pieces on display during her solo exhibit.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19

PROBUS CLUB OF PALM COAST

When: 11 a.m. to noon

Where: Cypress Knoll Golf & Country Club, 53 Easthampton Blvd., Palm Coast

Details: This month’s speaker is Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. All welcome. Stay for lunch if you like.Contact Larry Wright at palmcoastprobusclub@gmail.com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 20

ORMOND BEACH AREA DEMOCRATIC CLUB MEETING

When: 6:30-8:15 p.m.

Where: 56 N. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach

Details: Attend this meeting where many activities will be presented for people to participate in during early election week and on election day to support Josh Weil in the U.S. House of Representative special election on April 1. Like-minded guests are welcome to attend. Visit ormondbeachdems.org.

Nexus 360 brings drone show to Flagler

The drone show, Flagler County’s first, wil be held March 22.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Flagler County’s first drone show will illuminate the sky over Flagler Executive Airport during Warbirds Over Flagler on Saturday, March 22.

SkyGlow by Nexus 360 was born out of a community vision shared by Nexus 360 CEO Greg Blose and Chief Operating Officer Kelly Navarro. Both being Palm Coast residents, Blose said they wanted to bring a new family-friendly event to Flagler County — while showcasing the future of aviation.

“We want to do something that’s never been done before,” Blose said. “And when you think about the drone event, it makes sense to do a partnership because of aviation. That works in partnership in a lot of different ways.”

Warbirds Over Flagler is an annual fly-in event that allows attendees a chance to see vintage military warbirds in an airshow to salute veterans. The two-day event on Saturday, March 22 and 23, will feature aircraft displays, interactive exhibits, food vendors and live entertainment. Gates open at 10 a.m. both days for Warbirds Over Flagler and close at 6 p.m. on Saturday for the drone show, and 3 p.m. Sunday.

The drone show will only take place on Saturday night. Tickets cost $25 for adults and $20 for students, and includes admission into Warbirds Over Flagler. Gates for the drone show will open at 6 p.m.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit scholarships for local students Teens in Flight,

a Flagler County-based nonprofit that provides aviation opportunities for local youth.

Blose, as the former president and CEO of the Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce, launched the junior chamber nonprofit. That’s how he met Teens in Flight Executive Director Ric Lehman.

“To see the impact that they have on young students that are interested in pursuing a career in aviation, I thought, was amazing, so it just made sense,” Blose said. Navarro said she always believes in giving back to your community as a business owner. Benefitting Teens in Flight is a way for Nexus 360 to say they recognize a need in the community, she said.

“There’s a lot of students here that we would like to promote and get through school and we’re willing to put money into a scholarship fund to promote that,” she said.

It’s a combination of cutting-edge technology, creativity and sustainability, Navarro said. Additionally, the partnership with the air-

port creates a safer environment for the drone show, as the drones will be far away from audiences.

The drones will be visible from up to 1-2 miles away, depending on visibility, but only in the direction the audience will be facing.

“It’s simply something to showcase the past of aviation and then the future — where technology meets the past,” Navarro said.

All the synchronized formations that audiences will see during the show were created by Nexus 360. The drones are capable of showcasing unique images and words in the sky, Blose said, adding that articles have predicted drone shows will replace fireworks as “key nighttime entertainment.”

“It’s something different and unique,” Blose said.

“Obviously, the technology part is cool with it. ... But to me it’s this breathtaking aerial spectacle that’s never before seen in our region and I think it’s something that people are only used to having access to in major metro areas like Orlando or Jacksonville.”

Nexus 360’s drone show will be composed of hundreds of drones, said Nexus 360 CEO Greg Blose. Courtesy photo

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Youth injured in boating accident returns to Flagler County Fair & Youth Show

Riley Lauremore sustained a traumatic brain injury in 2024. Last month, he got the all-clear to participate in this year’s fair, nearly a year after his accident.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

As the 2025 Flagler County Fair & Youth Show Inc.’s livestock show looms ahead, the Lauremores are diligently finishing their final preparations for the show. Though the family has participated in the show for years, a boating accident left Riley Lauremore, 13, hospitalized during the 2024 show and sale. Riley suffered a traumatic brain injury in the accident, just weeks ahead of the show. Riley broke bones in his face and skull, and had to have a feeding tube and a tracheostomey tube placed as he recovered. Riley also lost his sight in his right eye because of a tear in an artery. He had to learn to swallow, eat, walk and talk all over again, his

mother Amanda Lauremore said.

“He’s a miracle, for sure. He definitely is,” she said. “In the beginning, we didn’t know what the outcome [would be] or how he was going to come home.”

“Or if I was,” Riley said.

Though the family was preoccupied with Riley’s hospitalization, the community and the fair’s 4-H and FFA board rallied around the Lauremores in their time of need. The 266-pound pig Riley entered in the 2024 show sold for a whopping $74 per pound when most pigs go for $2-5 per pound. After the auction, people kept donating until nearly $50,000 was raised for the family. The Fair & Youth Show board also paid for the pig to be processed and the meat was sent back to the Lauremores.

Travis Lauremore said there are no words to describe how grateful he and his family are for the support they’ve received.

“If the community hadn’t come together like they did, we probably wouldn’t have been able to make it,” he said. “We would have lost the house.”

Riley spent the entirety of 2024 either in the hospital, in rehab or continuing his treatments. He was

“If the community hadn’t come together like they did, we probably wouldn’t have been able to make it.”

TRAVIS LAUREMORE, Riley Lauremore’s father

without a part of his skull from the accident until his surgery to install a metal plate on Jan.10. He had to wear a specialized protective helmet until the plate was placed, Riley said.

“Now I’ve truly got a hard head,” he said.

Both Travis and Amanda Lauremore spent the year caring for Riley — beyond not having the time to go to work around Riley’s appointments, Travis Lauremore said, neither of them had the mental capacity to work.

The Lauremores said that people at the fair are their family.

Just shy of a year after the accident, Riley is walking and talking and herding his 2025 show pig — which he has named “Future Dinner” — alongside his sister Emma and her pig, Sammy. His doctor, Amanda Lauremore said, had just cleared Riley to show at the fair at an appointment in the last week of February.

With the plate in place, he’s able to resume most normal activities, she said. They’re even considering beginning the process of transitioning Riley back into school, starting with one class period a day.

“I asked my parents if that period could be lunch,” he said. He said he misses being able to hang out with his friends.

Even though they didn’t know if he was going to be able to show, Amanda Lauremore said, it was important for them that Riley get back to his normal activities. Travis Lauremore said they thought it would help his recovery.

“We thought it was a thing that would help him wake his brain up,” Travis Lauremore said.

The Lauremores took Riley and Emma to pick out their show pigs in November. They’ve since been feeding and caring for the animals diligently and both children are looking forward to showing their pigs at auction. Both pigs are now almost ready for show, with Riley’s weighing around 230 pounds at its last check in and Emma’s at 165 pounds.

Regardless of how well the pigs do in show, the whole family is ready to close this chapter of their lives. Travis Lauremore said the last year has taught him to appreciate the small moments in life.

“There is no normal life,” he said, “But now we can begin to get back to the little things.”

THE 2025 FLAGLER COUNTY FAIR & YOUTH SHOW’S LIVESTOCK SHOW AND SALE DATES

„ Monday April 7: Pullet and Rabbit Show 6 p.m. „ Tuesday April 8: Livestock Check In 3 to 6 p.m. „ Wednesday April 9: Wether, Heifer, Steer Show 7 p.m. „ Thursday April 10: Swine Show 7 p.m. „ Friday April 11: Opening Ceremonies 6 p.m. Auction begins 6:30p.m. Dessert auction (silent) and raffles throughout night. Those interested can donate to the fair online at www.flaglercountyfair.com/home.html.

Riley Lauremore is entering the Fair & Youth Show after he has spent the last year recovering from a traumatic brain injury.

The Lauremore family as they prepare to enter the 2025 Flagler County Fair & Youth Show in April. Pictured: Amanda and Travis Lauremore with their children Riley and Emma. Photos by Sierra Williams

Food Truck Palooza raises $2,000 for Flagler

Flagler Radio’s event benefits Grace Community Food Pantry and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church.

BRIAN MCMILLAN

PUBLISHER

Kicking off its annual Food-a-Thon, Flagler Radio hosted Food Truck Palooza on Saturday, March 8, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. The event raised $2,000 to benefit the church and the Grace Community Food Pantry. With the connections of Grace’s leader, Charles Silano, that’s enough to buy $10,000 worth of food. Grace serves 6,500 local families every month, at the end of Education Way,

food pantries

off U.S. 1.

The Food-a-Thon continues with a radio fundraiser in October. The event has raised $1.5 million in the past three years for Grace Community Food Pantry.

On Flagler Radio’s “Free For All Friday” on March 7, Pastor Charles Silano said giving is part of who we are as human beings.

“It’s like the Bible says: ‘It’s more blessed to give than to receive,’” he said. “We’re created that way. It’s in our nature.”

He praised those who have given in the past. “When Flagler County has a need, Flagler County residents respond.”

On the radio show, Silano was joined by Teri Kennelly, who has been serving the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Outreach for the past 19 years.

Faith in Flagler

Belle Terre Pkwy (386) 445-2246

For mass times, visit seaspcfl.org/mass.

In the midst of our daily challenges and sufferings, God’s love weaves a thread of divine affection, binding us to him with an unbreakable bond. Through prayer, reflection, and acts of kindness, we can nurture this connection, fostering spiritual growth. In drawing nearer to God, we find solace, purpose, and an enduring joy that permeates every aspect of our lives, illuminating our journey with divine light. Jose Panthaplamthottiyil, pastor

BIZ BUZZ

PSYCHIC MEDIUM OFFERS READINGS, ‘PARANORMAL PARLOR’ TALKS IN NEW ORMOND OFFICE

A psychic readings studio opened in February in Ormond Beach.

Daytona Beach Shores resident Michelle Davidson, a psychic medium, opened her studio at 555 W. Granada Blvd., Suite F3, inside Allure Skin Care Salon at the Boulevard Business Suites. According to a press release, Davidson provides readings by appointment, as well as minireading nights open to walk-ins, sound mediation sessions for individuals and groups using crystal singing bowls and “Paranormal Parlor,” a monthly talk about supernatural topics. Davidson also conducts psychic house cleansings.

The press release states that Davidson encourages her clients “to tap into their soul’s path and reach out to embrace manifesting their dreams in the future, while also reflecting on past trials and tribulations as learning experiences and stepping stones into growth”

“I encourage self-discovery and empowerment,” she said. “The most powerful aspect of my line of work is the ability to reveal deep truths that people often feel but struggle to articulate. Psychic readings can offer clarity, validation and healing. My personal mantra is ‘Enjoy the Journey.’ ” Davidson is the social director of Hotel Cassadaga, a psychic center that is home to many mediums, the press release states. For her readings, Davidson uses oracle cards and mediumship.

“Spirit Speaks,” the first Paranormal Parlor, will be held from 1-2 p.m. Sunday, March 16 at her studio. The session will be an open forum for attendees to discuss their personal experiences with spirits and the supernatural, and Davidson will discuss her journey as a psychic medium. Cost is $5 and includes a small psychic cleansing kit. See Davidson’s website, psychiccleansings.com, for more information.

Alice Pugh.

Aileen, Maverick, Aurora, Dakota and Dave Knox.

Diana Rae Padden, Kami Padden selling savory crepes.

Flagler Radio’s Scott Mackenzie, Kirk Keller and David Ayres. Photos by Hannah Hodge

Claudio Prazeres.

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

Hammock Dunes house tops sales list in Flagler

Ahouse at 10 Anastasia Court, in Hammock Dunes, was the top real estate transaction for Feb. 22-28 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. The house sold on Feb. 27, for $1,614,500. Built in 2013, the house is a 3/4 and has a pool, a fireplace, a hot tub and 3,702 square feet.

Condos

Way, Unit 1032, sold on Feb. 28, for $550,000. Built in 2004, the condo is a 3/2 and has 1,682 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $279,000. A condo at 1400 Canopy Walk

Lane, Unit 1435, sold on Feb. 28, for $420,000. Built in 2005, the condo is a 3/2 and has 1,712 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $460,000.

A condo at 7 Avenue De La Mer, Unit 802, sold on Feb. 28, for $1,030,000. Built in 2003, the condo is a 2/2.5 and has 1,944 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $600,000.

A condo at 1601 North Central Ave., Unit 503, sold on Feb. 28, for $425,000. Built in 1984, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,215 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $625,000.

A condo at 45 Riverview Bend South, Unit 1932, sold on Feb. 25, for $490,000. Built in 2006, the condo is a 3/3 and

has 2,007 square feet. It sold in 2014 for $236,500.

A condo at 3600 South Ocean Shore Blvd., Unit 522, sold on Feb. 25, for $297,500. Built in 1984, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,344 square feet It sold in 1997 for $102,500.

A condo at 80 Surfview Drive, Unit 213, sold on Feb. 24, for $609,000. Built in 2003, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,633 square feet. It sold in 2012 for $282,000.

PALM COAST

Aspire at Palm Coast

A house at 10 Fairchild Lane sold on Feb. 28, for $338,421. Built in 2024, it is a 4/2 and has 1,833 square feet.

Flagler Village A house at 25 Wandering Creek Way sold on Feb. 27, for $369,990. Built in 2025, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,193 square feet.

Indian Trails

A house at 52 Barring Place sold on Feb. 28, for $460,000. Built in 1996, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool, a fireplace, a private dock and 2,577 square feet. It sold in 1996 for $17,500.

Palm Coast Plantation

A house at 44 Heron Drive sold on Feb. 28, for $1,011,000. Built in 2018, the house is a 4/3.5 and has a pool, a fireplace and 1,875 square feet.

Pine Grove

A house at 10 Pine Brook Drive sold on Feb. 28, for $325,000. Built in 2005, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,858 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $242,000.

Pine Lakes

ORMOND BEACH

Pine Trails house is Ormond’s top sale

Ahouse at 10 Ocean Pines Drive in the Pine Trails neighborhood was the top real estate transaction in Ormond Beach and Ormond-bythe-Sea for the week of Feb. 15-21. The house sold on Feb. 21, for $473,000. Built in 1994, the house is a 4/2 and has a fireplace, a pool and 2,410 square feet. It last sold in 2008 for $310,000.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Condos

The condo at 640 N. Nova Road, Unit 505, sold on Feb. 20, for $125,000. Built in 1976, the condo is a 1/1 and has 748 square feet. It last sold in 2013 for $45,000.

ORMOND BEACH

Fountain View

The house at 1502 Fountain View St. sold on Feb. 18, for $339,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,828 square feet.

Northbrook

The townhome at 99 Northbrook Lane sold on Feb. 20, for $220,000. Built in 1980, the house is a 3/2.5 and has 1,467 square feet. It last sold in 2001 for $85,000.

Ocean Village The villa at 196 Cardinal Drive, Unit A, sold on Feb. 21, for $190,000. Built in 1947, the villa is a 1/1 and has 504 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $92,000.

Shadow Crossings

A house at 262 Westhampton Drive sold on Feb. 28, for $277,000. Built in 1994, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,515 square feet. It sold in 2024 for $270,000.

A house at 100 Wellwater Drive sold on Feb. 28, for $280,900. Built in 1986, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,481 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $149,000.

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

The house at 29 Canterbury Woods sold on Feb. 19, for $435,000. Built in 1998, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 2,086 square feet. It last sold in 2008 for $285,000.

The Trails

The townhome at 25 Ridge Trail sold on Feb. 21, for $275,000. Built in 1980, the townhome is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,678 square feet. It last sold in 2006 for $240,000.

Tomoka Estates

The house at 1146 George Anderson St. sold on Feb. 19, for $360,500. Built in 1973,

the house is a 3/2.5 and has a fireplace, a pool, a spa and 1,576 square feet. It last sold in 1989 for $83,000.

Tomoka View The house at 240 Seminole Drive sold on Feb. 18, for $322,000. Built in 1969, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,647 square feet. It last sold in 1977 for $44,000.

ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA

Breakers

The house at 24 Kathy Drive sold on Feb. 21, for $275,000. Built in 1969, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,280 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $225,000.

Imperial Heights

The house at 6 Bay Tree Circle sold on Feb. 18, for $425,000. Built in 1967, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace, a pool and 1,565 square feet. It last sold in 2011 for $163,500.

Ocean Shores The house at 49 River Shore Drive sold on Feb. 17, for $305,000. Built in 1957, the house is a 2/1 and has 919 square feet. It last sold in 1995 for $58,000.

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

PALM COAST

Twice as nice

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

A day after they each won a state wrestling championship for the second time, and helped Flagler Palm Coast win the girls team title, Christina Borgmann and Kendall Bibla reflected on how their second championships compared to their first.

The two seniors helped propel FPC to its first state girls championship to go along with three state boys titles. Seven FPC wrestlers won individual medals on Saturday, March 8, at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee. And the Bulldogs set a girls statetournament record with 150 points, easily topping secondplace Hernando and South Dade with 106 points apiece.

As a team, FPC finished the season with a perfect record, winning every tournament on its schedule. Eight of the Bulldogs’ nine wrestlers advanced to state.

“All season, we talk about the girls meeting their individual goals, but down the road we’ll be able to reflect (on the team championship) and say that was pretty special,” FPC coach David Bossardet said. In addition to the Bulldogs’ two individual titles,

Ana Vilar closed out her high school career with a runnerup finish at 135 pounds; Joslyn Johnson (105), Mariah Mills (110) and Tiana Fries (145) all placed third; and Alexa Calidonio (155) placed fifth. Borgmann won the 130-pound title for her second consecutive state championship, finishing the season with an undefeated record for the second year in a row.

“Since she has been at FPC, she has not lost a match,” Bossardet said. “I don’t think anyone else has gone two seasons here undefeated.”

Bibla won the 170-pound championship, two years after winning the 145-pound title as a sophomore with Matanzas.

“When I won my first state title, it was such a new feeling for me,” Bibla said. “The second state title reminded me how hard I’ve worked and how I’ve progressed over time. I’ve put in so much work.” Borgmann, who always

seems so calm on the mat, said she got emotional before and after her final match.

“Coach Boss tells us to just treat state like a normal tournament, treat each match like any other, and that settles me down,” she said. “But I got emotional yesterday before and after (the title match). I said I wasn’t going to cry but I ended up crying. It was happy and sad tears. It was happy because I know how far I’ve come, how much work I’ve put into it. It was sad because it’s all over.”

Borgmann finished her high school career with four individual state medals and two team championships (Borgmann, Bibla, Mills and Fries were all members of Matanzas’ state championship team in 2023). Borgmann placed eighth at state as a freshman and was a runner-up her sophomore year at Matanzas before closing out her career at FPC with two state championship medals.

“My first year, I just wanted to place at state,” she said. “I went into the state tournament with just three or four months wrestling. I used to go on runs with my dad, and I remember saying, ‘I just want to place at state.’”

Borgmann defended her 2024 championship with a 6-1 decision over Isis Severe of North Miami. She won her first three matches by pin, technical fall and pin.

COMING BACK STRONG

Bibla ended her season with just one loss in a match early in the season when she was sick. Like Borgmann, she

dominated in her state tournament matches winning by pin, technical fall, major decision and a pin in the final 30 seconds of the second period in the championship match against Megan Preston of Wiregrass Ranch.

The title was all the more meaningful for Bibla after she tore the ulnar collateral ligament in her elbow during her quarterfinal match last season, ending her state tournament.

“That really put me in a bad place,” she said. “It was just a huge setback. “Coming back my last year and winning the state title is a really great feeling.”

After winning her semifinal match on Friday night, March 7, Bibla signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky, where she will be reunited with her sister, Brielle, a sophomore at Lindsey Wilson.

“Coach (Devane) Dodgens came down and I signed right outside in the south lobby. It sealed the deal,” Bibla said. “I’m so happy with how everything ended. I’ll be going to Lindsey Wilson on scholarship and majoring in nursing. I’m really excited for college. It’s going to be a new chapter in my life.”

Borgmann also plans to wrestle in college and major in nursing. She said she planned to visit Felician University in Rutherford, New Jersey, on March 10, and she still has three to five schools on her list.

“I’m so happy for her,” Bibla said of Borgmann. “I’m so

BOYS WRESTLERS WIN

MEDALS

Three Flagler Palm Coast wrestlers and one Matanzas wrestler won medals at the boys state championships on March 8 at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee.

FPC freshman Kevin McLean placed third at 113 pounds in the Class 3A championships, while sophomore Trey Twilley placed fourth at 126 pounds and senior Carson Baert placed fifth at 157 pounds.

Matanzas senior Mason Obama placed seventh at 157 pounds in the Class 2A championships.

McLean’s only loss was a 6-5 decision in the semifinals to eventual state champ Nathan Lyttle of Harmony. McLean placed third in Class 1A last year as an eighth grader wrestling for St. Johns Country Day. Twilley placed sixth last year for FPC.

Baert and Obama placed at state for the first time. Baert, a three-time state qualifier, lost his first match in overtime but came back to win three matches in wrestle backs before falling in the consolation semifinals. He then won the fifth-place match.

“I couldn’t be prouder of Carson. He had a great season,” FPC coach David Bossardet said.

glad we won individual titles together. We’ve grown so close this season.”

MILLS, FRIES FOUR-TIME MEDALISTS

Mills and Fries also finished their high school careers with a state championship and four state tournament medals. Mills won a state title as a junior last year and has now placed third at state three times. She will wrestle next season at West Liberty University in West Virginia.

Fries won a state championship as a freshman, placed fifth as a sophomore, second as a junior and third this season.

Johnson, a junior, won the 100-pound state title last season. This time, she lost to Ponte Vedra’s Erin Rizzuto for the second week in a row, in the semifinals.

“Joslyn, Mariah and Tiana all had tough matches in the semis Friday and came back in the morning for wrestlebacks,” Bossardet said. “It’s tough to wrestle back for third place, and those girls did that. Alexa Calidonio lost her quarterfinal match and wrestled back to win fifth place. They were probably wrestling

more for the team than themselves. Falling short of their goal, at the time their world is crushed. In that regard I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

The Bulldogs’ season is over, but their offseason is just beginning. They will wrestle at High School Nationals in Virginia Beach on March 28-30. Borgmann and Mills are defending champs at the National High School Coaches Association event.

Christina Borgmann wins the 130-pound championship match on March 8, 2025, to successfully defend her 2024 state championship. Borgmann has not lost a match in her two seasons wrestling for FPC.

Kendall Bibla celebrates after winning the state championship at 170 pounds.

Sofia James of Seabreeze High School is all smiles after winning a match in the 170-pound weight class.

State champs Christina Borgmann and Kendall Bibla hold up Flagler Palm Coast’s team championship trophy as the Bulldogs pose for a photo after winning their first state girls wrestling title.

Ana Vilar of Flagler Palm Coast placed second in the 135-pound weight class. Photos by Rachel and Abe Mills

Christina Borgmann, Kendall Bibla win titles again as Flagler Palm Coast captures its first state girls wrestling championship

Trey Twilley of FPC took fourth place in the Class 3A 126-pound weight class at the state wrestling championships.

Pirates’ girls, boys lacrosse top FPC

The Matanzas girls used a flurry of goals early in the second half to defeat the Bulldogs, 9-5. The Pirates won the boys game 17-9.

BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The Matanzas girls lacrosse team defeated Flagler Palm Coast 9-5 on March 7, and four days later, the Matanzas boys team completed the sweep with a 17-9 win over FPC. Both games were played at FPC’s Sal Campanella Stadium.

In the girls game, the Pirates took advantage of a twominute FPC penalty early in the second half to score four straight goals and take an 8-3 lead.

“We’re able to take advantage when we’re a person up,” Matanzas coach Brandie Alred said. “We don’t have just one person who can score, we have a lot of our offensive players who can score, which gives us an advantage. We have multiple ways to score.”

Mia Apfelbach had three goals for the Pirates. Zoe Alred added two goals, and Ashley Kassan had five saves. Five different players scored for FPC. Matanzas fell to 3-5 with a 10-6 loss at Menendez on March 11, while the Bulldogs improved to 3-4 with a 16-6 win over Sandalwood at home.

In the boys game on March 11, Vinnie Ferrugiaro scored five goals and Jonathan Santiago scored four to help Matanzas snap a four-game losing streak and improve to 3-6.

“This is the first time this

season that we’ve really come together and gelled,” Matanzas coach Adam Frys said.

“As a team, we had a lot of assisted goals tonight, and that’s something we’ve been preaching. Share the ball with each other so they can shine.”

Carsen Ellis scored three goals for the Bulldogs (3-4), while Grant Winkler scored twice.

“Tonight wasn’t the result we wanted,” FPC coach Michael Commendatore said.

“But in terms of effort and teamwork, I think we played very well, in those regards.”

Commendatore was a fan last year, supporting his son, goalie Aiden Commendatore, and his teammates.

But when the Bulldogs needed a coach for the second year in a row, Michael Commendatore stepped in.

“Coaches can be hard to come by in Palm Coast,” he said. “The program was very solid last year, and I just wanted to continue lacrosse, because if you miss a season, it’s going to be hard to recover.”

Bulldogs hurdler breaks 45-year-old school record

Karina Marcelus broke Debra McCaskell’s 100-meter hurdles record, set in 1980.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Flagler Palm Coast track and field athlete Karina Marcelus broke a 45-year-old school record at the North Florida/ South Florida Challenge on Saturday, March 8, at FPC.

Marcelus ran a time of 14.45 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles to break Debra McCaskell’s record of 14.73 seconds, set in 1980.

McCaskell stopped by school Tuesday, March 11, to congratulate Marcelus.

“Debra happened to be in town this week and wanted to meet Karina,” FPC track coach David Halliday said. “She told Karina she has held the record for 45 years and it was time pass the torch.”

Marcelus, a junior, moved up to No. 6 in the state Class 4A rankings in the event. She finished second in the race to Miami Northwestern’s Kahalia Hoo, who ran a 14.14 and is ranked second in the state in Class 3A in the event. The fourth annual North/

South Challenge included just 11 schools, but the meet draws some of the top track and field programs in the state to FPC.

Northwestern won the girls title, while Miami Columbus won the boys titles. The two runners-up came from North Florida schools with Tallahassee Lincoln placing second among the boys and Ponte Vedra finishing second on the girls side.

FPC’s girls placed fourth and the boys placed fifth.

The Bulldogs had three athletes in addition to Marcelus who placed second in their events. Leilany Rosa placed second in girls pole vault (8 feet, 10.25 inches); Maya Tyson was second in shot put (36-feet-4.75) and third in discus (108-feet-3); and Tanner Cauley Bennett placed second in boys pole vault (12feet-9.5).

Mainland’s boys track team placed second behind Sanford Seminole at the George Janan Invitational at Spruce Creek High School on March 8. The Bucs placed first in four events, including the 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams. Raymond Shepherd won the 400 meters with a time of 51.74 seconds and Kajuan Curry won the 800 meters in 1:59.95.

SIDELINES

Pirates softball keeps winning

The Matanzas softball team matched last year’s season start with its seventh straight victory on March 7, a 12-2 win in six innings against St. Petersburg Canterbury. The Pirates stretched the streak to 8-0 with on March 11 with an 8-3 win against Taylor in Pierson.

“I think our culture has been set in place with the older players passing on our traditions to the younger players,” said Matanzas coach Sabrina Manhart, who is in her seventh year with the team. “Half the battle is getting the kids to believe in themselves and to see that the hard work they put into practice pays off.”

It also helps to have University of Florida signee Leah Stevens, who is 6-0 with a 0.66 earned run average and 73 strikeouts in 32 innings. She has allowed just nine hits.

“Leah has been a big part (of the 8-0 start), and the hitters have really come around,” Manhart said.

The Pirates have had two historic wins, beating Spruce Creek and University for the first time in school history. They’ve won big, 18-1 against New Smyrna and 17-0 against

sSt. Augustine. And they’ve won close games, 3-2 in eight innings against both Spruce Creek and Bartram Trail.

“We know we can go into extra innings and have success,” Manhart said.

Ashley

the

and Taylor.

and

“They’re

Karina Marcelus (left) with Debra McCaskell. Marcelus broke McCaskell’s

Senior

Sampselle started in

circle against Canterbury

Sampselle

freshman Trinity Wright each pitched three innings against Canterbury. Sampselle pitched a seven-inning complete game against Taylor. Wright and fellow freshmen Mary Grace Seward and Camryn Williams have all carved out roles on the team. Seward has stepped in to play catcher.

a delight to coach,” Manhart said.

Ashley Sampselle started the game in the circle against Canterbury and allowed one run in three innings. Photo by Brent Woronoff

Matanzas freshman Trinity Wright pitched three innings against Canterbury and struck out five batters.

FPC’s Penelope McDonald (3) carries the ball in her long stick.

Photos by Brent Woronoff

FPC’s Sofia Fretterd (left) tries to knock the ball loose from Katita Carvajal.

SIDELINES

Beach volleyball at Wadsworth Park

Flagler Palm Coast’s beach volleyball team played its second home match of the season on March 6. Clay edged the Bulldogs 3-2 at

Wadsworth Park. FPC (1-2) has three more games at Wadsworth in the next few weeks, against Atlantic on March 26, Matanzas on March 27 and Seabreeze on April 2. Matanzas and FPC will meet again at Wadsworth Park in the season finale on April 9.

FPC

boys tennis second at Five Star

FPC’s boys tennis team placed second behind Spruce Creek in the Five Star Conference tennis tournament. The Bulldogs advanced to the finals in all five singles divisions and both doubles divisions with Aaron Lieberman winning at No. 4 singles and Alex Berenblit and Josh Thorpe winning at No. 2 doubles. Seabreeze placed third in both the boys and girls tourneys.

FPC’s girls placed fifth.

Strawser wins Five Star weightlifting title

FPC placed second in the Olympic competition at the Five Star Conference boys weightlifting championships. FPC was third and Mainland was fourth in the traditional competition. FPC’s Cody Strawser won the 139-pound Olympic title and finished second in traditional. FPC’s Anthony Giacobbe placed second in both competitions at 119 pounds, Matthew McFall (unlimited) was second in traditional and Jackson Fedun (154) and Cal Zwirn (219) were second in Olympic.

Mainland had three runners-up in traditional: Isaac Simien (154), Mason Durrance (199) and Gavin O’Reilly (219). And Seabreeze’s Dean Hayes placed second in Olympic competition at 139.

Spikes 9U win baseball classic

The Ormond Beach Spikes 9U baseball team won the Greater

Orlando Baseball Spring Break Classic on Sunday, March 9, at the Dugout complex in Sanford. The Ormond Beach team went 4-0 over the weekend, winning the final game against the Port Orange Baseball Club Crush 10-9 on Knox Deaton’s walk-off single. Of the 12 teams in the tournament, Ormond was the only one to go undefeated. The Spikes scored 61 runs while

allowing 17. The Spikes battled back from a four-run deficit against the Crush in the championship game. Carter Reardon started on the mound for Ormond with Bennett Gray relieving. Sam Marlatt, a former Ormond Beach Spikes player, is the team’s coach. Tom Reardon is the team’s administrator.

FPC’s Morghan Mackey passes to Sophie Campbell in a beach volleyball game against Clay at Wadsworth Park.

Photo by Brent Woronoff

The Ormond Beach Spikes 9U team won the Greater Orlando Baseball Spring Break Classic on March 9 in Sanford. Courtesy photo

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2024-10270 PRDL Division 10 IN RE: ESTATE OF LUIS ALFREDO VEGERANO, SR. A/K/A LUIS A. VEGERANO, SR., Deceased. The administration of the estate of LUIS ALFREDO VEGERANO, SR. A/K/A LUIS A. VEGERANO, SR. deceased, whose date of death was April 10, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is P. O. Box 6043, DeLand, FL 32720. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s

of

is

AFTER

OF

DATE OF

OR

with

OF

DAYS AFTER

OF

OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS

Rios the Barber LLC Mar. 13 25-00037V

INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS (Summary Administration) IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2025 10694 PRDL IN RE: ESTATE OF JOYCE ANN HILLSMAN Deceased. TO ALL PERSONS HAVING CLAIMS OR DEMANDS AGAINST THE ABOVE ESTATE: You are hereby notified that an Order of Summary Administration has been entered in the estate of Joyce Ann Hillsman, deceased, File Number 2025 10694 PRDL by the Circuit Court for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 101 North Alabama Avenue, DeLand, FL 32724; that the decedent’s date of death was December 6, 2024; that the total value of the estate is $Exempt Property and that the names and addresses of those to whom it has been assigned by such order are: Name Address Michael Dillon 696 Jamestown Blvd., APT 1299 Altamonte Springs, FL 32771 ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE NOTIFIED THAT: All creditors of the estate of the decedent and persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent other than those for whom provision for full payment was made in the Order of Summary Administration must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702. ALL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER APPLICABLE TIME PERIOD, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent’s death by the decedent or the decedent’s surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The date of first publication of this Notice is March 13, 2025. Michael Dillon 696 Jamestown Blvd. APT 1299 Altamonte Springs, Florida 32771 Attorney for Person Giving Notice /s/ Stuart Glenn STUART GLENN, ESQ. Attorney Florida Bar Number: 0102192 1728 Salem Dr. Orlando, FL 32807 Telephone: (407) 632-1000 E-Mail: stuart@myorlandolaw.com Secondary E-Mail: irene@myorlandolaw.com March 13, 20, 2025 25-00102I

FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2024 14500 PRDL Division 10 IN RE: ESTATE OF EVELYN B. KAISER Deceased. The administration of the estate of Evelyn B. Kaiser, deceased, whose date of death was December 23, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is P.O. Box 6043, DeLand, FL 32721. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent’s death by the decedent or the decedent’s surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this notice is March 13, 2025.

Personal Representative: Michael J. Sekera 370 Lowell Road Sayville, New York 11782

Attorney for Personal Representative: Rodolfo Suarez Jr. Esq., Attorney Florida Bar Number: 013201 9100 South Dadeland Blvd, Suite 1620 Miami, Florida 33156 Telephone: 305-448-4244 E-Mail: rudy@suarezlawyers.com Secondary E-Mail: eservice@suarezlawyers.com March 13, 20, 2025 25-00104I

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2024 14522 PRDL Division 10 IN RE: ESTATE OF SHARON LEE MUNSON Deceased.

The administration of the estate of Sharon Lee Munson, deceased, whose date of death was October 12, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is P.O. Box 6043, DeLand, FL 32721. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent’s death by the decedent or the decedent’s surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this notice is March 13, 2025.

Personal Representative: Jennifer Lynn Cunningham 6744 Ferri Circle Port Orange, Florida 32128

Attorney for Personal Representative: Rodolfo Suarez Jr. Esq.,

Attorney Florida Bar Number: 013201 9100 South Dadeland Blvd, Suite 1620 Miami, Florida 33156 Telephone: 305-448-4244

E-Mail: rudy@suarezlawyers.com

Secondary E-Mail: eservice@suarezlawyers.com March 13, 20, 2025 25-00105I

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 7TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA. CASE No. 2023 11127 CIDL MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. STEPHANIE C. EDNEY, et. al., Defendants. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to an Order or Final Judgment entered in Case No. 2023 11127 CIDL of the Circuit Court of the 7TH Judicial Circuit in and for VOLUSIA County, Florida, wherein, MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC, Plaintiff, and STEPHANIE C. EDNEY, et. al., are Defendants, Clerk of Court, Laura E. Roth, will sell to the highest bidder for cash at, WWW.VOLUSIA. REALFORECLOSE.COM, at the hour of 11:00 AM, on the 3rd day of April, 2025, the following described property: LOT 44, BLOCK 21 OF DELEON SPRINGS, ACCORDING

NOTICE OF SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA CIVIL DIVISION CASE NO. 2024 13885 CICI HARVEY SCHONBRUN, AS TRUSTEE, Plaintiff, vs. WILLIAM CHARLES SMITH, Defendant. Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to a Summary Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the

SUBSEQUENT INSERTIONS

SECOND INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No.: 2025 10511 PRDL Division: Probate IN RE: ESTATE OF MARIA ELISABETH JORDAN a/k/a MARLIESE JORDAN Deceased.

The administration of the estate of Maria Elisabeth Jordan a/k/a Marliese Jordan, deceased, whose date of death was December 4, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 101 North Alabama Avenue, Deland, Florida 32724. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent’s death by the decedent or the decedent’s surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE

SECOND INSERTION NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY GENERAL JURISDICTION DIVISION CASE NO. 2021 31502 CICI LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. CAROL FRANCES DAVIS A/K/A CAROL DAVIS, et al., Defendant. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Summary Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered October 25, 2024 in Civil Case No. 2021 31502 CICI of the Circuit Court of the SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT in and for Volusia County, Deland, Florida, wherein LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC is Plaintiff and Carol Frances Davis a/k/a Carol Davis, et al., are Defendants, the Clerk of Court, LAURA E. ROTH, ESQ., will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash electronically at www.volusia.realforeclose.com in accordance with Chapter 45, Florida Statutes on the 26th day of March, 2025 at 11:00 AM on the following described property as set forth in said Summary Final Judgment, to-wit: LOT 21, COUNTRYSIDE PUD UNIT XII-A, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF AS RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 41, PAGE 170, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA. 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.

If you are a person with a disability who needs an accommodation in order to access court facilities or participate in a court proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. To request such an accommodation, please contact Court Administration in advance of the date the service is needed: Court Administration, 125 E. Orange Ave., Ste. 300, Daytona Beach, FL 32114; (386) 257-6096. Hearing or voice impaired, please call 1 (800) 955-8770. By: /s/Robyn Katz Robyn Katz, Esq. McCalla

Email: MRService@mccalla.com Fla. Bar No.: 146803 20-00346FL March 6, 13, 2025 25-00093I