Ormond Beach Observer 5-11-23

CITY WATCH

Local manufacturer moves to DeLand

County to hold a mosquito tire amnesty event

To reduce mosquito populations, Volusia County will hold a free tire amnesty event from 7 a.m. to noon on Friday, May 19, at the Volusia County Department of Health, at 1845 Holsonback Drive. Mosquitos often lay eggs in stagnant water in old tires, the county stated in a news release.

Only residential tires will be accepted, with a limit of 20 per person. Visit Volusia.org/mosquito.

Local attractions, businesses win tourism awards

Two Ormond Beach entities won awards through the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau’s second annual Visitors’ Choice Awards program.

A third was named a runner-up. The CVB is celebrating 2023 National Travel and Tourism Week by recognizing businesses and attractions deemed favorites among tourists, according to a news release.

The Ormond Beach Celtic Festival won the award for “Best Arts, Culture and Heritage Event,” and Ormond Brewing Company won the “Best Locally Crafted” award.

The Ormond Memorial Art Museum was named the runner-up for “Best Museum and Gallery.”

The Museum of Arts and Sciences was the winner in that category. Volusia County Beaches won the “Award of Excellence.”

The awards recognized businesses in 18 categories based on analytics from CVB’s website, DaytonaBeach.com, according to the news release.

FitUSA Manufacturing has expanded to a new facility in DeLand, a Volusia County news release announced on Monday, May 8. The company, which used to be headquartered in Ormond Beach, manufactures athletic and performance wear, sports jerseys, uniforms and other custom products. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company used its production line to make masks and other personal protective equipment.

FitUSA is now located at 801 E. International Speedway in DeLand.

“Volusia County Economic Development went above and beyond to help facilitate the opportunity for us to obtain this property,” FitUSA owner Troy Olson said. “We are thrilled to be in DeLand and be part of the community.”

In October 2020, the company was considering moving its PPE operations to Georgia after the state offered it an incentive package. Olson told the Observer at the time that he wanted to keep the sports apparel

side of the business in Ormond, but hoped to expand.

FitUSA didn’t receive any state or local incentives while headquartered in Ormond Beach, and also didn’t receive any dollars from the county. FitUSA’s move is a win not just for the company, but for Mayhew Tools, another manufacturer in Ormond Beach.

Ormond Beach Economic Director Brian Rademacher said in an email that Mayhew occupies the majority of the building at 2 Sunshine Blvd. within the Airport Business Park, which it shared with FitUSA prior to the company’s move.

Now, Mayhew can continue to expand its operations in Ormond Beach.

The Volusia County news release states that the company’s growth “comes with newly acquired contracts to produce character and staff apparel for major corporations.” Olson worked with Volusia’s Economic Development division to find the new property, the

20,864-square-foot former Battery Tender building.

“We are very excited that Troy and the FitUSA team selected the city of DeLand for their ongoing expansion plans,” said Nick Conte, DeLand’s economic development manager.

“Our strategic partnership with Volusia County Government and its Economic Development Division helped make this deal a reality.”

FitUSA aims to expand its workforce with 100 new positions over the next six months, the news release states.

“This project is the perfect example of how the county, working with our businesses and the cities, can facilitate the growth of the local economy while ensuring our existing businesses have the resources they need,” said Cyrus Callum, Volusia County aviation and economic resources director. “We extend our utmost congratulations to FitUSA and appreciate their commitment to Volusia County.”

Applicants needed for county advisory boards

The Volusia County government is seeking citizens to serve on five advisory boards, including the Planning and Land Development Regulation Commission. Planning commission applicants must live in District 4 in the unincorporated area of Volusia County, which includes Ormond-by-the-Sea.

The other four boards also have one opening each. Those boards are:

„ Code Enforcement. The county prefers that the applicant be an architect, businessperson, engineer, general contractor, subcontractor or Realtor.

„ Contractor Licensing and Construction Appeals Board. Applicants must be a general, electrical, plumbing or mechanical contractor or a registered engineer or architect.

„ Environmental and Natural Resources Advisory Committee „ Volusia Growth Management Commission Applications are available at volusia.org/advisory.

Email Jarleene Almenas at Jarleene@observerlocalnews. com.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

The Palm Coast Observer meets the legal requirements to publish legal notices in Flagler County, per F.S. 50.011. The Ormond Beach Observer meets the legal requirements to publish legal notices in Volusia County, per F.S.50.011.

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File photo by Jarleene Almenas

In 2020, FitUSA shifted its operations to produce personal protective equipment.

JARLEENE ALMENAS

SENIOR EDITOR

“For me, it’s still very ambiguous and I don’t think it provides the clarity that we intend it to, personally.”

School Board member Ruben Colon on book selection policy. See Page 7A

‘Remembering a life’

JARLEENE ALMENAS SENIOR EDITOR

For Brenda Fecher, a headstone is more than a stone marker. It’s a representation of life.

And as the third-generation caretaker of Pilgrims Rest Cemetery in Ormond Beach, she wants to make sure those lives — no matter how long or short, and how many decades have passed since their burial — are remembered. For the past year, Fecher and her husband, Steve, have been restoring, cleaning and raising headstones at the historic cemetery, as well as placing markers for unmarked graves.

“A lot of stones, you feel like are forgotten,” Fecher said. “Some of these families have moved away. They’ve moved up north. They don’t live here, so they don’t have a lot of visitors. And by us coming, we’ve brought back life into the cemetery.”

Fecher took over as caretaker of the cemetery when her mother, Nancy Partridge, died in December 2021. Fecher’s grandmother, Alberta Miller, was the caretaker before Partridge.

Still, Fecher, a kindergarten teacher at South Daytona Elementary, said the thought of one day taking care of the cemetery had never crossed her mind — at least, until her mother became sick with cancer.

“It kind of became real at that point,” Fecher said. “Like, ‘Hey, I’ve got to step up, and I’ve got to do something with the cemetery.’ So it’s not something that I ever thought that I would do, but we enjoy it. We love doing it. It is a labor of love.”

ANCESTRAL RESTING PLACE

Fecher’s family history dates back to the mid-1800s, with some of Ormond Beach’s earliest pioneers: the Winns, the Harpers, the Campbells, the Groovers and the Bennetts.

These families formed the Tomoka Settlement along the Tomoka River, and in 1879, a church was organized by the Groover Creek Cemetery, in the middle of what is today the Tymber Creek subdivision.

The church was used as a one-room schoolhouse and meeting place.

In 1895, after a freeze that destroyed many orange groves, the families decided to move further east.

But they didn’t want to

leave the church behind. So, in 1906, Walter Campbell and William Bennett, Jr. bought the land that is now Pilgrims Rest Cemetery and moved the church beside it by rolling it on logs pulled by mules.

In 1908, the first person was buried at Pilgrims Rest — 4-year-old Kansas Bennett, sister of Fecher’s great grandmother, Vicie Bennett Winn. It’s believed she died of chicken pox.

On Saturday, April 29, the Fechers cleaned Kansas’s headstone and lifted it to rest above ground once again.

In the late 1990s, Fecher’s aunt documented and photographed all of the cemetery’s headstones. But as Fecher has looked through those photos, she’s spotted headstones and footstones she didn’t recognize. They were there, only buried.

The ground at the cem -

etery is soft, and the Fechers have discovered several buried grave markers during their work to restore the cemetery.

“Until we ... probe and find it by accident, we don’t know what’s there,” Fecher said.

Recently, the Fechers stumbled across two infant footstones for Winn family members near the fence. Steve Fecher was probing the ground and, suddenly, hit something that sounded different.

“We’re like, ‘That doesn’t sound like concrete,” Brenda Fecher said. “’That doesn’t sound like coquina rock. ... It kind of sounded like metal, so very gingerly, we dig and we found two gorgeous footstones.”

“All of the sudden, this beautiful red granite stone starts staring at you,” Steve Fecher added.

Like his wife, he also never saw himself as a caretaker of a cemetery one day.

“I didn’t realize that when I got married, I was going to marry all of her dead relatives, either,” Steve Fecher said. “But it’s probably, in my 53 years, the most gratifying work I’ve ever done.”

A CHURCH AND A CEMETERY

Fecher’s grandmother was not a member of the church, but she did love it.

The church held services once a month, and Miller would often notice fresh dirt on the ground of the cemetery, but many were not sure who had been buried. So she, along with a small group of other women, began keeping records of the church and the cemetery.

Miller became the caretaker of the cemetery in 1953. The cemetery was then plotted for 130 spaces, and a cleanup effort was organized once or twice a year.

“She pretty much lived her adult life taking care of the cemetery and keeping on traditions that way,” Brenda Fecher said.

Fecher recalls how her grandfather would ride his riding mower from his house off Mason Avenue to and from the cemetery. The family jokes that the journey took him longer than the actual time spent

Kindergarten teacher works to restore headstones at historic Ormond Beach cemetery.

mowing the cemetery, since he had to stop for gas both ways.

In 1988, Miller donated the church to the city of Ormond Beach after its land was sold. Thanks to an anonymous $68,000 donation, the church was moved and now rests at Bailey Riverbridge Gardens, on the northwest corner of the Granada bridge.

Brenda Fecher’s mother grew up playing in the cemetery — often going there with other children after getting kicked out of church service for being disruptive, Brenda Fecher said.

“When Mama passed, we had her celebration of life in the church,” she said. “We thought that was very fitting.”

UPDATING BURIAL RECORDS

Pilgrims Rest Cemetery is still an active cemetery. The Fechers estimate they have about 20 plots left. They recently had a ground penetrating radar study done to make sure headstones are in their correct spots.

The couple also hopes to create an online database of who is buried where, and a QR code people can scan to make it easier to find their family members. They have found 14 anomalies in the ground. Those could be unmarked graves, as was the case for two that have been claimed by family members, or they could signify a spot where the ground was simply disturbed.

“We definitely have spots where the ground has been dug,” Steve Fecher said. “If it was a wooden box, it isn’t there anymore.”

The cemetery is also home to the graves of seven Confederate soldiers, with the possibility of an eighth — one soldier has two headstones. Same name, same death date, but different birth dates.

A monument paying tribute to Confederate soldiers, including those buried in the cemetery, rests on the property.

AT PEACE

The Fechers aren’t paid to take care of the cemetery, where they spend most of their weekends for several

hours a day. The cemetery is a nonprofit, so all donations go to its care. One fundraiser is held each year: an interactive tour of the cemetery held in partnership with the Ormond Beach Historical Society in October.

Taking care of the cemetery is their “yoga,” the couple said. “It doesn’t matter how hard of a week I’ve had, what kind of people I’ve had to deal with, you come up here and it all goes away,” Steve Fecher said.

The Fechers have been documenting their progress with the cemetery on their Facebook page. On every post about the restoration of a headstone, they write, “Remembering a life.” The phrase is also printed on the back of the Pilgrims Rest T-shirts they wear to work on the cemetery.

Restoring the headstones provides instant gratification, Brenda Fecher said.

“You come out and you say, ‘This stone, it needs some love. It needs to be cleaned. It needs to be raised up,’” she said. “And within 30, 45 minutes, it’s up out of the ground. It’s pretty. It’s straight. It’s level. It’s not forgotten anymore.”

Brenda Fecher’s great great-aunt, Kansas Bennett, was the first person buried at Pilgrims Rest Cemetery.

Steve and Brenda Fecher spend most of their weekends cleaning and lifting sunken headstones at Pilgrims Rest Cemetery in Ormond Beach.

Courtesy photo

A monument paying tribute to Confederate soldiers, including those buried in the cemetery, rests on the property.

Photos by Jarleene Almenas

“It’s not something that I ever thought that I would do, but we enjoy it. We love doing it.”

BRENDA FECHER

AdventHealth Palm Coast partners with JU for nursing program

The Dedicated Education Unit pairs a Jacksonville University nursing student with an AdventHealth nurse for weekly 12-hour shifts.

BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR

When AdventHealth Palm Coast nurse Aimelys Berrios was a nursing student, she decided to work in a hospital as a nurse tech to gain hands-on experience.

Now, Berrios is a nurse mentor in the hospital’s new Dedicated Education Unit in partnership with Jacksonville University’s accelerated nursing degree program.

The DEU pairs one nurse, known as a preceptor, with one student from JU’s Palm Coast campus. The students work an entire 12-hour hospital shift once a week with their preceptors, and they stay with the same nurse throughout the yearlong program.

“This is a big difference from traditional programs,” said Mary Brady, the chief nursing officer of AdventHealth Palm Coast. “They come in and actually work a full shift. They have that same preceptor week after week after week, and they go from initially shadowing that preceptor to carrying a full caseload of patients with the preceptor overseeing them.”

It’s a step forward from the traditional training program, Brady said, in which students come in for shorter periods of time, and the training focuses on specific skills.

“They don’t get the whole experience of what it’s like to be that nurse for an entire shift,” Brady said.

Berrios can see the difference from when she was a nursing student, even with her nurse tech experience.

“This is a great way for them to see time management and how things are done throughout a 12-hour shift versus just a few hours on the floor, like when I was a nursing student,” she said.

When something unexpected

It’s been really wonderful to have that same person every single week with her learning what my competencies are and growing those skills alongside her.”

ERIKA BARTRAM, JU nursing student

comes up, the student learns how to handle it, Berrios said.

“They actually follow my patients and what is happening with them, what things they can look out for,” Berrios said. “And then also be there when the doctors (are making rounds) and actually listen in and figure out what the plan of care is for the patient.”

JU nursing student Erika Bartram has been working with AdventHealth Palm Coast nurse Dawn Evans for about five weeks now.

Bartram said when she was entering the program, she didn’t know she’d be partnered with one nurse for the entire program.

“It’s been really wonderful to have that same person every single week with her learning what my competencies are and growing those skills alongside her,” Bartram said. “I’ve really enjoyed every single week that I’ve gotten to come here.”

Jacksonville University started the accelerated nursing program in 2021 in response to the nationwide nursing shortage accentuated by the pandemic.

The program expanded to Palm Coast in January of this year with 10 students. All of the students in the accelerated program are required to have a bachelor’s degree as well as complete prerequisite courses in microbiology, anatomy, physiology, chemistry and statistics.

Bartram has a background in child psychology and worked in a children’s hospital for four and half years.

“This is my second degree,” she said. “There’s obviously been a really big attrition in nursing fields through

the pandemic. And I saw that firsthand. I think it’s a really important time to go into nursing. So, I felt the need to change careers.”

Brady said the DEU is already popular with the students as well as their mentors.

“I talked to quite a few of the students, and they were just glowing. They’re loving it,” Brady said. “The preceptors are really enjoying it because they typically just get a student for a few hours and check their work. But in this case, they feel like they’re really growing that next generation that’s coming in.”

Bartram said the hands-on experience is giving her the confidence that she will be ready to be a full-time nurse when she graduates in a few short months.

“Accelerated programs, I think,

HAPPY NURSES WEEK

are becoming more available,” she said. “I think it’s really, wonderful to be able to put our nurses into the workforce faster, but to be able to give them enough skills and experience to safely put them into the work force faster.

“I’m really fortunate to be able to join a program that has kind of figured out a way to give us both classroom experience and clinical skills quickly to be able to fill the need for nurses in the local area.”

Brady said AdventHealth is in better shape with its nursing staff than some hospitals in other parts of the country.

“We currently have no agency nurses working for us, so we are doing well with our hiring,” she said.

The new AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway hospital, which is slated to

open in early August, is almost fully staffed, Brady said. With all of the preceptors staying at the current hospital, there are no plans to expand the DEU to the Parkway hospital.

“But there’s no reason we can’t do it at Parkway,” she said.

The graduates of the program will have a head start when they join the workforce, Brady said.

“They’re getting that great benefit of critical thinking, prioritizing, organizing their days. And that’s something that we spend 12 weeks training when we get a new grad nurse on the floor,” Brady said.

“But this group of nurses will have such an advantage, because they’re getting this as part of the DEU, so it is a fabulous program.”

Courtesy photo

Erika Bartram works a 12-hour shift once a week with her preceptor, Dawn Evans, at AdventHealth Palm Coast.

The American Nurses Association is celebrating national nurses week , which began on May 6 and will run through May 12.

FDOT, Sheriff’s Office promote bicycle safety

May is National Bicycle Month, and FDOT is reminding drivers to watch out for cyclists.

ABBIE PACE

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Volusia Sheriff’s Office and Florida Department of Transportation held a press conference on Monday, May 1, to promote bicycle safety. May is National Bicycle Month. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, an avid bicyclist, has been in more than one crash while biking.

“I think if there’s anybody who can talk about bike safety, it would be me,“ Chitwood said. “I’ve been run over twice in the past couple years.”

There were 1,147 crashes

BRIEFS

Diesel spill shuts down SR 100; cause unknown

A diesel spill temporarily closed down State Road 100 from the Publix by Roberts Road to the new pedestrian bridge on May 8. The spill was reported at 7:21 a.m. and both lanes were reopened by 9:50 a.m. The spill was contained to the outside, westbound lane

involving bicyclists in Central Florida in 2021, according to a news release from FDOT. Of those, 37 crashes resulted in a bicyclist fatality; 1,070 bicyclists sustained injuries. Though traffic crash statistics from 2022 have not been finalized, FDOT stated, initial data from Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles showed about a 9% increase in bicyclist fatalities on Central Florida roads.

More than 40% of traffic crashes in Florida involving bicyclists happen at intersections, according to FDOT. The news conference highlighted the importance of looking both ways, and, when in doubt, looking twice. FDOT noted that motorists must give bicyclists at least 3 feet of space when passing them.

“Bicyclists have the same rights on the road as drivers, and the only way we’re going to improve bicycle safety is by making sure everyone understands that,” FDOT Safety Administrator Loreen Bobo said. Although it is legal to bike on roads, the many trails in Volusia County offer a more secluded ride among nature. For instance, the Spring-toSpring Trail stretches from

and did not get into swales or the broader environment, according to Stephen Cox, the operations captain at the Flagler Beach Fire Department.

Cox said the department notified the Florida Department of Transportation, which sent a crew from Holly Hill to clean up the spill.

Most of the diesel was absorbed by the roadway.

The cause of the spill is still unknown, Cox said, but is most likely due to a leak from a vehicle driving on S.R. 100.

Gemini Springs to DeLeon Springs State Park.

“Volusia County trails provide a wide variety of opportunities for cyclists, as well as walkers and joggers,” said Tim Bailey, Volusia County Parks, Recreation and Culture director. “Our trails provide recreational opportunities that meet the needs of all people, regardless of age, economic status or physical ability.”

In Florida, more than 60% of bicycle fatalities take place at night. But night crashes can be avoided with proper lighting. Speakers at the news conference said it is crucial to avoid wearing dark clothing when biking at night. Reflective vests offer additional safety.

“Volusia County Public Works maintains over 1,000 miles of roadways in the county,” Volusia County Public Works Director Ben Bartlett said. “Our staff work hard to ensure that we maximize the safety of all the users from these roads, whether they are motorists, pedestrians or bicyclists.”

To learn more about bicycle safety, go to fdot.gov/agencyresources/bicyclesafety.

Photo by Abbie Pace Mike Chitwood

File photo Flagler County Fire Rescue

APRIL 26

5 O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE

4:26 p.m. — 100 block of Cypress Point Parkway, Palm Coast Disorderly intoxication. A deputy was called out to two disorderly conduct calls featuring the same man in under an hour.

The deputy was first called to a supermarket where employees said a man was running around the store yelling, according to the man’s arrest report. The man smelled of alcohol and told the deputy he would “probably blow a 0.2.”

The deputy trespassed the man from the store and escorted him from the premises. The man then stood at the edge of the parking lot and “screamed unintelligibly” for five minutes before leaving for a nearby gas station.

The same deputy was called to that gas station less than 30 minutes later because the same man was “yelling and screaming and throwing rocks at vehicles.”

The deputy arrested him.

APRIL 30

PUNCH DRUNK

12:12 a.m. — First block of Old Kings Road, Palm Coast Disorderly intoxication, battery on an officer. A Palm Coast woman was arrested

when her night out ended with her punching a deputy. Deputies were called to the local bowling alley when two women were seen grappling with each other, according to the woman’s arrest report. One of the women told deputies that there had not been a fight, and that she was just taking her intoxicated friend to the bathroom.

When they were on their way out, the drunk friend tried to punch a man she knew.

Her friend and a deputy tried to pull the woman off the man, and the woman punched the deputy when he tried to restrain her.

She was arrested and later taken to the county jail.

The man told deputies that the woman was mad at him for giving her friend a ride on his motorcycle.

MAY 1

MINING A SCAM

12:36 p.m. — First block of Coquina Point Drive, Ormond Beach Fraud. All that glitters is not gold. A 71-year-old Ormond Beach man discovered that the hard way when he was scammed out of over $50,000 by a so-called “Belgian miner.”

The man met the suspect in an online chat room a month prior, according to a police report.

The suspect convinced the man that the suspect was a miner who needed money to

send gold bars to America from Belgium.

The suspect sent the man a contract and photos of the alleged mining. The man sent him significant sums of money three times. The man wants to pursue charges if the suspect’s identity is discovered.

MAY 3

NEED FOR SPEED

12:14 p.m. — 200 block of South Atlantic Avenue, Ormond Beach DUI. A 72-year-old man from Georgia was arrested for drunk driving after a police officer spotted him going about 15 mph over the speed limit.

The man was swerving and striking the curb of the road prior to being stopped, according to a police report.

The man, who smelled of alcohol, immediately told the reporting officer that he had gotten caught in the sand and had to get home to use the restroom. He apologized for speeding.

As he waited for the man to hand over his vehicle’s registration, the officer saw the man move a bottle of what he later discovered was vodka from the passenger seat to the floor. When the officer asked to see the bottle, the man initially showed him a water bottle instead. He eventually handed over the bottle of vodka, but said he hadn’t drunk any of it that day.

The man failed sobriety exercises and was taken to jail.

For

Volusia School Board updates its book policy

Principals are not allowed to remove books from libraries, the board clarified.

JARLEENE ALMENAS SENIOR EDITOR

The Volusia County School Board voted 4-1 on Tuesday, May 9, to adopt amendments to the board’s policy on book selection, verbally clarifying that principals may not remove materials from library shelves.

One sentence among the amendments had caused concern among community members and media specialists, many of whom spoke at a March 28 meeting. The sentence, contained in the section titled “Responsibility for selection of materials,” states, “Upon review, a principal may direct the removal of material he/she deems in violation of

Florida law.”

But School Board Attorney

Kevin Pendley said that the language refers to principals consulting with media specialists during the selection process for print and nonprint materials — meaning principals could remove materials from a purchasing list. But if the book was already on a library’s shelf, it would have to go through the district’s challenging process.

School Board member Ruben Colon voted against the policy amendments, saying the sentence was unclear.

“A lot of times, perception is everything,” Colon said. “We wouldn’t be having this conversation if everybody understood that it was in that section. ... For me, it’s still very ambiguous, and I don’t think it provides the clarity that we intend it to, personally.”

Colon asked if words could be added to the sentence to clarify that the removal would happen during the purchasing

part of the process, but Pendley said “substantive change to the length of the text” would require the district to formally advertise the policy changes, which would delay their adoption.

School Board member Carl Persis also sought clarification, asking if legislative changes could bring the policy back to the board for more amendments in the near future. Pendley said no.

“I wish we would have spent as much time on discussing how to get children to read, or how to teach children to read, or how to encourage children to read as we have spent trying to figure out what books they shouldn’t read,” Persis said.

Board Chair Jamie Haynes said she was frustrated that misinformation has been circulating in the community. Some teachers have called her and asked why the district is removing Dr. Seuss, asking teachers to take down classroom libraries, or banning

them from talking about civil rights activist Ruby Bridges. None of those accusations are true, Haynes said. She added that a year ago, she “naively” believed school libraries didn’t carry a single book that contained sexually explicit material.

“I do believe if you as a parent want your child to read sexually explicit material, you have that right,” Haynes said. “But you have the right where you can oversee and make that selection. I believe having unfettered access to children, who are not adults yet, and without their parents knowing what they have access to — that’s why there are laws.”

The only changes made to the policy, Haynes said, are to ensure the district is in compliance with Florida law. The policy now specifies that materials selected must be in compliance with state statutes and details the composition of a book review committee.

County backtracks on discussion to vet library books

JARLEENE ALMENAS SENIOR EDITOR

The Volusia County Council is reversing its decision to discuss the public library system’s book challenge process, per a unanimous vote on Tuesday, May 2. The council had voted on April 18 to hold a future discussion about “inappropriate materials” in the chil -

dren’s sections of libraries.

But County Councilman Don Dempsey, who made that motion at the April 18 meeting, said on May 2 that he had just been concerned about the Volusia County Library Advisory Board’s scope of duty when the council had discussed appointments to the board.

He’s since been informed that the advisory board

doesn’t make decisions on vetting books, and that there have been no complaints about books on library shelves.

Dempsey said on May 2 that he wasn’t interested in getting into “book banning.”

“I don’t want to create a fear with the public,” he said. “... I know we voted unanimously to look at this, but I don’t think any of us intended to create any type of scenario.

We just wanted to see how the library was running.”

While the council will not hold a discussion on the county’s book challenge process, it will still hold a discussion about the Library Advisory Board.

County Councilman Jake Johansson said he is interested in eliminating the board because he wants to have “less government.”

Businessman Randy Dye to run for County Council chair

JARLEENE ALMENAS

SENIOR EDITOR

Former race car driver and longtime Volusia County businessman Randy Dye is running for Volusia County Council chair in 2024.

Dye, who filed to run on May 4, lives in DeLand and owns two auto dealerships — Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram and Maserati Alfa Romeo of Daytona. As one who has been involved with organizations and civic boards for about 20 years, he said, he views elected leadership as an extension of community service.

“I think our community has obvious assets and they

deserve protecting, and they have some challenges,” said Dye, 62. “Being here for a long time and seeing how that’s worked, all of the experience I’ve gained along the way, I think that we line up together pretty well, honestly.”

A Volusia County resident since 1982, Dye is a trustee and past president of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties, a trustee at the Museum of Arts and Sciences and member and past chair of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors. He is also a board member of the CEO Business Alliance, Team Volusia’s executive committee and the

LOCATED DIRECTLY ABUTTING COUNTY ROAD 200 AND FAVORETTA ROAD IN THE CITY OF BUNNELL LIMITS FROM FLAGLER COUNTY “MH-1, RURAL MOBILE HOME” TO CITY OF BUNNELL “AG, AGRICULTURE”; PROVIDING FOR THE TAKING OF IMPLEMENTING ADMINSTRATIVE ACTIONS; PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF MAPS BY REFERENCE; REPEALING ALL CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR NON-CODIFICATION AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE as may be legally permitted on the day of the meeting. Instructions on how to participate by electronic or other means, if legally permitted, would be found on the City of Bunnell’s website at www. bunnellcity.us on the homepage. The public is advised to check the City’s website for up-todate information on any changes to the manner in

48-business hours prior to the meeting.

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

thropist

(AG)”; PROVIDING FOR LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT; PROVIDING FOR ASSIGNMENT OF THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FOR THE PROPERTY; PROVIDING FOR SERVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR RATIFICATION OF PRIOR ACTS OF THE CITY; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION AND DIRECTIONS TO THE CODE CODIFIER AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

Photo by Jonny Nomad Media Randy Dye

BRIEFS

Man dies in single-car crash in Palm Coast Landing parking lot

A 57-year-old man died in a singlecar crash in the Palm Coast Landing shopping plaza on May 5.

The crash happened at 12:08 p.m. in the shopping plaza’s parking lot. No one else was injured.

The man’s sedan was going east in the parking lot when it ran off the roadway, hitting a curb, according to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol.

The sedan then hit a stop sign.

The man, from Crescent City, was taken to AdventHealth Medical Center in Palm Coast. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to the report.

The FHP is still investigating.

Palm Coast man, 57, dies in motorcycle crash

A 57-year-old Palm Coast motorcyclist died in a crash in Putnam County on May 3.

The crash happened at 8:30 p.m. on State Road 20 east of County Road 20A, according to an incident report from the Florida Highway Patrol.

The man was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle east on S.R. 20 when he crossed the centerline into the westbound lanes, according to the report.

The motorcycle hit a pickup truck on the truck’s driver side and overturned. The motorcyclist was thrown from the motorcycle, which came to a stop in a lane that was closed for construction, according to the report.

The pickup truck came to a stop in the westbound lanes. Its two occupants were not injured.

The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet that did not meet Department of Transportation requirements, according to the FHP report.

SUV hits dump truck, no major injuries

An SUV collided with a dump truck early in the morning on May 3 in

west Flagler County. The crash happened at 7:55 a.m. on County Road 304.

The dump truck driver was the only one injured, according to the report from the Florida Highway Patrol.

He was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The SUV was going east on C.R. 304 when it crossed the centerline.

The dump truck was heading west, and the SUV hit the truck’s front left wheel, according to the report.

The SUV came to a stop on the eastbound shoulder while the truck overturned on its right side and slid across the eastbound lane, off the roadway and into the grass.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office temporarily shut down C.R. 304 for several hours following the crash, according to the FCSO’s Twitter page. The road was reopened just after 11 a.m.

Volusia County Council confirms new EMS director

since December 2018, including three years as community information director.

Before joining the county government, Captain was a registered nurse, field EMT and paramedic.

He was previously the trauma program manager at Halifax Health and the emergency department manager at AdventHealth-Daytona Beach. He also served in various emergency care roles in Wisconsin.

As EMS director, Captain will oversee an ambulance system that handles nearly 80,000 calls and more than 60,000 transports annually.

He also will manage the system’s $44.2 million budget and supervise more than 250 EMS employees.

John Bailey named Volusia County IT director

tions. He was previously director of information technology and network administrator for National University College from 2010 to 2019.

Bailey has also served as an adjunct IT professor for Florida Technical College and assistant regional IT manager for Pomeroy IT Solutions.

He has a master’s degree in information technology management from Western Governors University and holds nine IT certifications from Microsoft, Cisco and other organizations.

Bobbie King to head Volusia’s Transit Services Division

CRIME REPORT

Sex offender arrested after allegedly waving rifle around in public

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a man who was allegedly waving a rifle around as he walked along an open road in the Mondex area on May 4.

Manuel Almeida, 72, was arrested on multiple charges, including openly carrying a firearm and discharging a firearm in public.

Almeida was also charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon: He was convicted of burglary and sexual battery of a victim under 16 in 1997.

The May 4 incident began at around 8:30 a.m.

FCSO deputies responded to several calls about a man “swinging around” a rifle around as he walked along Mahogany Boulevard in Bunnell, according to a press release from the FCSO.

Volusia County’s ambulance transport system is under new leadership, and Community Information Director Kevin Captain is assuming a new role in county government.

Captain is bringing his background in pre-hospital, emergency and trauma care to Volusia County Emergency Medical Services.

The County Council unanimously confirmed him on Tuesday, May 2, as the county’s new EMS director.

Captain replaces former EMS Director Michael Colman, who stepped down in November 2022.

“I am truly honored by this opportunity and the faith and support that the county manager and County Council have placed in me,” Captain said, according to a news release.

Captain has been with the county

The Volusia County Council has approved the appointment of John Bailey as director of the county’s Information Technology Division.

Bailey replaces Brian Whiting, who will be retiring after 15 years with the division, according to a news release.

The division provides IT services to the Volusia County Council and county departments, as well as various IT services to county-elected offices and several outside agencies, including the Clerk of Court, Court Services, Judicial Services, and the State Attorney and Public Defender’s offices.

Bailey has served as the county’s assistant IT director, infrastructure manager and network services/ communications manager since 2019.

In that time, he managed a $5.3 million budget and led a 48-member team that supports critical infrastructure and enhances network security across more than 80 loca-

Bobbie King, a 25-year Volusia County government employee, will head the county’s new Transit Services Division.

The division oversees Votran’s administrative functions, including finance, grants, accounting, planning, marketing, outreach, routes, scheduling, purchases and contract management, according to a Volusia County news release.

First Transit, a transportation management firm based in Ohio, will continue to handle bus operation, customer service, maintenance, dispatch and safety.

King, a New Smyrna Beach resident, began her career working for Volusia County as a paralegal in the Sheriff’s Office in 1997.

She then served as an activity project manager for the Parks, Recreation and Culture Division from 2001 to 2014, overseeing environmental and outdoor recreation, the Volusia ECHO program and operations of maintenance and park facilities.

She joined the Public Protection Department in 2014 as activity project manager, assisting with key

The FCSO deputy first on the scene used the office’s Real Time Crime Center as a “virtual backup,” live-streaming the interaction to provide real-time updates until other deputies arrived, according to the press release.

Almeida did not cooperate with deputies.

He fired one shot into the air before running into nearby woods, according to the press release. Deputies de-escalated the situation and arrested him.

His gun was found in the woods with a shell casing jamming the rifle.

projects in the Corrections and Fire Rescue divisions and submitting successful grant awards.

Since 2020, she has served as the county’s operations manager for Votran.

Volusia County Council members approved her appointment unanimously during a May 2 meeting.

Kevin Captain

John Bailey

Bobbie King

BUSINESS OBSERVER

Development, real estate + business news

New owners to take over

Owners of Beachfront Grille and Anthony’s Pizzeria are partnering to run a restaurant at the county airport.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Two local restaurateurs are taking over the lease for the county-owned restaurant facility now known as High Jackers at the Flagler Executive Airport.

At a May 1 County Commission meeting, Flagler County commissioners approved the reassignment of the lease from current lessee Flagler Tailwinds, Inc., to Quantum Cowboys, LLC, owned by James Bourdeau and Joseph Wright.

Bourdeau already owns two restaurants in Flagler County: Beach Front Grille in Flagler Beach and Loopers Par and Grille, which opened in March

High Jackers

at the Palm Harbor Golf Club, replacing the Green Lion Café. Wright owns Anthony’s Pizzeria — which has one location in Palm Coast and another in St. Augustine — as well as a myriad of other businesses, including Quantum Electrical Contractors, Quantum Air Conditioning and Quantum Auto Repair.

The lease reassignment was part of the commission’s consent agenda, which was approved unanimously.

The commission’s approval is required for any subletting or reassignment of the lease. The new contract did not include information on potential changes to the restaurant.

“I know this is important for the airport,” Vice Chair Andy Dance said.

High Jackers has rented the location at the airport through the county since 2001. The restaurant’s grounds are 41,447 square feet, with the restaurant taking up approximately 5,200 square feet,

according to the 2021 lease renewal contract.

The county renewed its lease with Flagler Tailwinds

— owned by Flagler Beach residents Gail Holt and Richard Bancroft — in June 2021, for a monthly rate of $3,000, to be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index, and with alterations to the restaurant and grounds required at certain dates across the 10-year lease.

Quantum Cowboys will be assuming the lease as-is.

Just like the previous lessees, to renew the lease in 2031, Bourdeau and Wright must finish the required facility improvements, which totaled $165,000 on the original lease in 2021.

Bourdeau and Wright created Quantum Cowboys on Feb. 14, listing High Jackers’ Airport Road address as the company’s principal address.

“I know they’ll do a good job operating that restaurant,” Commission Donald O’Brien said.

Bourdeau’s Beach Front Grille, which opened in 2014, has averaged $2.25 million in sales annually, according to commission meeting documents. Wrights’ Anthony’s Pizzeria locations have brought in more than $10 million in revenue over the last seven years, according to the documents.

“I’m grateful to the new owners, because I know it’s a professional team,” Commission Chair Greg Hansen said. “I look forward to it, and I think it’s going to be a big step upward.”

BIZ BUZZ ADVENTHEALTH DAYTONA BEACH NAMES CMO

the team,” Sinclair said. “My passion for improving patient outcomes and advancing health care aligns perfectly with AdventHealth’s commitment to whole-person care. I look forward to working with the talented staff and physicians to improve the health and well-being of our patients and community.”

Sinclair fills the role that was previously held by Dr. Joe Smith.

SOLAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTS BUSINESS OWNER

AdventHealth Daytona Beach has named Dr. David Sinclair as chief medical officer, effective May 21.

Sinclair has 25 years of clinical experience as a physician, including 20 years in progressive leadership roles. He has spent nearly half of that time in chief clinical roles for large acute care systems.

Since 2020, Sinclair has served as the CMO at AdventHealth Altamonte Springs where he led the medical staff, helped launch a local Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, and oversaw the addition and expansion of numerous clinical programs.

Sinclair has served as the Patient Safety Officer for AdventHealth Central Florida Division – South since January 2022, leading the successful execution of the hospital-wide Quality Assurance Performance Improvement program and working closely with Quality Outcomes, Risk Management and Safe and High Reliability teams to ensure maintenance of an effective Quality Management System.

“AdventHealth Daytona Beach has a strong reputation for providing high-quality care, and I am honored to join

Solar-Fit founder and CEO Bill Gallagher was inducted this week into the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association Solar Hall of Fame at a recent FlaSEIA Solar Summit in Sarasota.

The award was presented for Gallagher’s contribution to the solar industry as previous president and current board member of the association, his work in Tallahassee to help teach legislators about the benefits of solar use for residents and business owners in Florida, and his continuing efforts to promote the use of renewable energy.

“I am proud and humbled to accept this lifetime achievement award on behalf of the entire Solar-Fit team,” Gallagher said. “Their individual and

collective dedication to helping our customers enjoy the benefits of solar is awe-inspiring, and watching them do what they love to do is just icing on the cake.”

The Holly Hill-based company will also celebrate its 48th anniversary in May.

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN OPENS

SECOND LOCATION

Elements of Design has opened a second location at One Daytona in Daytona Beach, according to Karen Holmay, proprietor of Elements of Design and Cates Lighting at Elements of Design.

“Our Ormond Beach location offers gifts, home decor and small accent furniture,” Holmay said, according to a news release. “Our new location at One Daytona carries lighting, furniture, home decor, and gifts.”

The new location is a master showroom with 6,500 square feet.

It is located in Suite B220 at One Daytona, on the corner across from Donnie’s Donuts.

Holmay originally opened Elements of Design on April 19, 2007, at 500 W. Granada Blvd. in Ormond Beach.

With the help of her team and support from customers, the business prospered and moved to a new location at 62 E. Granada Blvd. in April 2010, according to the news release.

Holmay bought Cates Lighting from Bob and Mary Cates in 2011 and moved the lighting showroom to the Granada location.

The public is invited to the store’s ribbon cutting from 4-7 p.m. Friday, May 12. Light refreshments will be served. Visit shopelementsofdesign. com and cateslighting.com.

Photo by Sierra Williams High Jackers Restaurant has been at the airport for over 20 years.

Dr. David Sinclair

Photo courtesy of Daryl LaBello Solar-Fit founder and CEO Bill Gallagher.

Law Enforcement United riders honor fallen officer Robert Grim

Law Enforcement United completes an annual bicycle tour that typically starts in Virginia and ends in Washington, D.C. Fourteen riders began their tour in Miami this year instead.

JARLEENE ALMENAS

SENIOR EDITOR

Fourteen members of Law Enforcement United stopped at the Ormond Beach Police Department on Thursday, May 4, to pay tribute to fallen officer Robert Grim.

The volunteer organization is composed of current and retired law enforcement officers, civilian supporters and survivors of fallen officers.

Each year, Law Enforcement United completes a three-day bicycle tour that starts in Roanoke, Virginia, and ends in Washington, D.C., with stops along the way to honor officers who have died in the line of duty and

to recognize their families.

Grim died on Nov. 13, 2004, after he was struck by a vehicle while investigating a crash on Nova Road. He had been in law enforcement for 36 years.

The 14 riders who arrived at OBPD started their tour in Miami. They came from all across the U.S. — Arizona, Colorado, Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Texas, said Rich Gallo, a Law Enforcement United member and retired federal agent.

“It’s a professional responsibility that we have to those that we made the promise to that we won’t forget, and to their families that we remember their sacrifice and their continuing sacrifice,” Gallo said.

Motor unit officers with the Ormond Beach Police Department, Daytona Beach Police Department and Volusia Sheriff’s Office escorted the riders from Edgewater to Ormond Beach, where the riders met local city officials and members of Grim’s family. From there, the escort continued until the riders reached Clay County.

Ormond Beach Police Chief Jesse

TRIBUTES

Christine Strickland Deal

1925-2023

CHRISTINE (CHRIS) S.

DEAL, 98, entered the Kingdom of God on Sunday, April 30, 2023, and joined members of her loving family who have passed before her into paradise.

Chris was born on February 12, 1925 in Baxley, Georgia to Marcus C. Strickland, Sr., and Sadie Stone Strickland. She was the oldest of five children and grew up in Favoretta, Florida. Chris graduated from Bunnell High School and obtained her B.S. degree from the University of Tennessee where she was a member of the Sigma Kappa sorority. Chris majored in home economics and volunteered as a server in the University’s cafeteria. One day in the cafeteria line, with over 400 Army cadets behind him, a man named Don would not move the line forward until he secured Chris’ telephone number and address.

On this day, Chris met who would later become the love of her life, Donald L. Deal, Sr. Shortly following Don’s return from the WWII, he and Chris were married on October 15, 1946, a union that spanned 71 years until Don’s passing in 2017.

In the early days of their marriage, Chris taught elementary school. Later, Don and Chris started a family construction-related business together in South Flor-

ida. While Don ran the Sales Division, Chris managed the Office, Parts, and Service Divisions. During the 7 or 8 years they represented Universal Rock Crushers, their dealership was number one in world sales and received numerous awards.

The couple raised two children, Shyla and Don, Jr., and made their home in Miami. Together they instilled in their children the importance of helping others less fortunate as a way of daily life. While her children were growing up, Chris was a Children’s Sunday School Teacher for many years and worked tirelessly with children’s activities and special events. The three most important things in her life according to her children were God, family and helping others.

God: When Chris and Don retired to Flagler Beach in the early seventies, the first thing Chris did was seek out a church to attend. She decided on First Baptist Church of Bunnell and became an active member there. As Flagler County grew, Chris saw the need for a worship facility in the area of Korona which had the potential for the building of residential housing developments nearby. With the help of family members and other individuals in the community, this vision was realized in the early 2000s.

She and Don had previously donated approximately 18 acres of property for a new church site off Old Dixie Highway. They were founding members in what now stands as the Community

Godfrey said he appreciated that the riders took time to pay tribute to Grim’s memory.

“This is a great opportunity to honor a man,” Godfrey said. “They say a man truly dies when you stop

saying his name, so by you guys doing this and by us being here, we’re going to make sure that never happens.”

Baptist Church.

At Community Baptist “Miss Chris”, as she was lovingly called by the church members, continued activities with the children’s choir and special events. She was also the church organist. Prior to the completion of the new church, the Fire Station leaders in Korona were very gracious in allowing Chris to use their facilities to conduct activities for the children living in the area. Chris so appreciated their willingness to help.

Family: One of the most important things in Don and Chris’ lives was spending time with family.

They both loved family get-togethers of all kinds no matter where they were held. They cherished time at their lakehouse in Keystone Heights where they would have frequent parties for their extended family and friends. Having acquired the lakehouse when their children were small, the lake was a source of many wonderful summer memories while their children were growing up. One of Chris’ favorite things to do at the lake was making hand-churned ice cream. She followed in the tradition of the Strickland sweet-tooth. She also enjoyed picking wild blackberries around the lake with her children.

Helping Others: Chris’ daily calendar was filled with the names of those in need and exactly what was needed. She would spend hours each day calling on those people and making arrangements for provisions. Whether it was a meal for

those who were sick or bedridden, a ride to the doctor or to the church, she was there for them. She would help those who had fallen on hard times with clothes, home items, or whatever was needed.

Chris was known for her kindness, generosity and genuineness. She was a devoted wife, mother, motherin-law, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. One of her greatest pleasures in life was bringing happiness to others. She is preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Wilda Hargett and Odell Clegg; brother, M.C. Strickland, Jr.; and her son-in-law, Dr. Fred E. Meece. She is survived by her brother Marvin Strickland (BettyJo); brother-inlaw, Frank Clegg; and her children, Shyla Deal Meece (Fred), Flagler Beach; and Donald L. Deal, Jr., (Terri), Flagler Beach; grandchildren: Wendy Meece Simp-

son (Wayne), Cordova, TN, James Michael Meece, Bowling Green, KY, Cara Meece Karner (David), Palm Coast, and Matthew Donovan Deal (Ashley), Flagler Beach. Six great-grandchildren: Isaac and Abby Simpson, Desmond and Miles Meece, Mikayla and Dylan Karner, and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Chris’ life will be held Saturday, May 13, 2023 at Community Baptist Church, 956 Old Dixie Highway, Bunnell, Florida beginning at 11:00 a.m. Immediately following the celebration, will be a graveside service at the Strickland Family Cemetery in Korona. The family will receive friends on Friday, May 12, 2023, from 4-7 p.m. at the

Craig Flagler Palms Funeral Home, at 511 Old Kings Road South, Flagler Beach, Florida - http://craigflaglerpalms. com. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that those who wish to honor Chris’ life and memory may make a donation to any one of the following organizations whose work she valued: Village Partners International, 217 S. Matanzas Avenue, Tampa, FL 33609, www. villagepartnersinterational. org. Community Baptist Church, 956 S. Old Dixie Highway, Bunnell, Florida 32110. First Baptist Church of Flagler Beach, Post Office Box 839, Flagler Beach, FL 32136. The family requests noting on any donation “in remembrance of Christine S. Deal.”

CELEBRATION OF LIFE:

Saturday, May 13, 11AM Community Baptist Church 956 Old Dixie Highway Bunnell, Florida

One of her greatest pleasures in life was bringing happiness to others.

Law Enforcement United riders, Ormond Beach Police officers and city officials stand by Officer Robert Grim’s memorial.

Motor unit officers escort Law Enforcement United riders to the Ormond Beach Police Station.

Photos by Jarleene Almenas

Ormond Burger Week: I tried all of the burgers

I ate 14 burgers in one week. This is how it went.

a quirky interview. After all, it was going to be a story about burgers.

But in a conversation with Carly and Skye Russell, another member of the committee, the topic of someone trying all 14 burgers came up. What if someone took that on?

Challenge accepted.

I didn’t say it out loud, but I thought it. Do it for a column, I told myself. This is that column. I tried all 14 burgers.

Burger Week etiquette was “sharing is caring,” and I ran with that. She meant sharing photos, but I decided to take the phrase at face value.

JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

When I saw that a “Burger Week” was going to be held in Ormond Beach for the first time, my initial thought as a reporter was, “That’ll be a good story.”

I scheduled an interview with Carly Krakjewski, who formed part of the committee that helped put the initiative together, and on April 24, I walked into the Realty Pros Assured office on Granada knowing that, at the very least, it would be

YOUR TOWN

STUDENT HANDS OUT STUFFED BUNNIES FOR ANTI-BULLYING EFFORT

Ormond Beach-based nonprofit

Michael’s ‘Ohana presented plush BRAVE Bunnies at Morning Star School in partnership with Gianna Capri, Miss Sunshine State Elementary America 4th Grade, on April 26. The BRAVE Bunnies are part of the official anti-bullying campaign of the Miss Elementary, Miss Jr. High, Miss High School and Miss Collegiate American organization, according to a press release. BRAVE stands for “Building Respect and Values for Everyone.” Gianna, now a third-grade student at St. Brendan’s Catholic School, will be representing Florida this summer at the Elementary National Pageant in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Michael’s ‘Ohana was founded in June 2021 in memory of Ormond Beach resident Michael Alberico. It partners with nonprofits raising money and gift donations for those with special needs.

Gianna handed out BRAVE Bunnies to every student at Morning Star School as a reminder to be kind to everyone, according to the press release. Her brother Anthony is in eighth grade and will be attending high school at Morning Star School, in Jacksonville, next fall.

Now, I’m not a food critic. I just love food, and I have opinions.

Three factors helped me out.

My sister was moving to Virginia mid-week for a new temporary position with Dietitians on Demand, and she does 90% of the cooking at home. My parents were in town to help her move. And my best friend and her husband enable my craziest ideas.

All in all, I had people to share burgers with me, which helped a lot, and I love them for it. As Carly said during our interview, part of

I tried one burger on my own. Before she left, my sister and I tried five burgers together, spaced out over four days. Not bad. My mother and I (my dad drove up with my sister to Virginia) tried four burgers together, three in one day for a big lunch. One of them was a slider, so it felt manageable.

My friend Vanessa and I tried four, with her husband Adam, a vegetarian, coming along for moral support. Of those four, we had three for dinner on Friday night. Three burgers. A couple appetizers. Perhaps a couple drinks.

It ended with me questioning my life decisions inside The Grind as I struggled to chow down even one bite of their burger. I ended up asking for a box.

But man, did I try some good burgers this week. I cast my vote for

my favorite, but it was a difficult decision (particularly because my expert notes included phrases like “most burger-y burger” and “Very good. Juicy.” Again, not a food critic).

I do think it speaks to how good our local restaurants are, and whichever restaurant wins the trophy —aptly shaped like a very tall burger — is very deserving.

Like the millennial I am, I posted photos of all the burgers I ate on my Instagram, and have had more than one person ask me, “Did you really eat all those burgers?”

Yes, yes I did. And they were delicious — 10/10 would do it again, but hopefully not until next year.

The Tillandsia Garden Club has 34 members.

Tillandsia Garden Club of Ormond Beach will celebrate its 75th year on May 11.

A member of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs Inc., it is one of the oldest garden clubs of Volusia County.

The club was formed in May 1948 when seven women combined camaraderie and their love of plants, according to a news release.

The club is named after a type of moss that grows on native trees. It has 34 members and has supported school gardens at Pine Trail, Tomoka, Ortona and Westside Elementary

“Bullying someone because they are different is never acceptable,” the press release states. “At Michael’s ‘Ohana we live by … ‘Be Someone’s Michael’: kind, loving, respectful, funny, caring, sweet, full of joy and happiness. Always looking out for those who may need a helping hand or just a friend.”

schools.

In March, the club donated $2,000 to Beachside Elementary School to establish new garden projects.

The club partners with Habitat for Humanity to help buy and install plants for new Habitat homes.

Over the years, members have landscaped 12 Habitat for Humanity Homes and received the FFGC Landscaping a Habitat for Humanity Award three times.

Other civic projects include garden craft activities with seniors at sensory garden therapy centers and

nursing home facilities, and providing scholarships.

Members have partnered with Seaside Health and Rehabilitation Center, hosting an annual Christmas party. The Tillandsia GC received the 2019 FFGC Community Service Award for its “Santa, Succulents, and Seniors” project.

The club’s 2022-2024 officers are:

nPresident: Jane Eddy

nFirst vice president: Miki Dowst

nSecond vice president: Carolyn Bacci

nRecording secretary: Julie Johnson

nTreasurer: Patti Wood.

Publisher John Walsh, jwalsh@observerlocalnews.com

Managing Editor Jonathan Simmons, jonathan@observerlocalnews.com

Senior Editor Jarleene Almenas, jarleene@observerlocalnews.com

Associate Editor Brent Woronoff, brent@observerlocalnews.com

Staff Writer Sierra Williams, sierra@observerlocalnews.com

Design Editor Hailey McMillan, hailey@observerlocalnews.com

Director of Engagement Kaitlyn Stier, kstier@observerlocalnews.com

Senior Media Specialist Susan Moore, susan@observerlocalnews.com

Advertising Coordinator Jessica Boone, jessica@observerlocalnews.com

Operations Manager Bonnie Hamilton, bonnie@observerlocalnews.com

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MEET OMAM’S FEATURED ART NIGHT FAMILY FOR MAY

Sarah Orfinger and her family — 6-year-old Ben, 4-year-old Emma and significant other Troy Talbot — are Ormond Memorial Art Museum’s featured family from the April Family Art night event.

Orfinger, daughter of one of the museum’s volunteers, took part in OMAM’s Free Family Art night on May 5.

The family enjoys participating in art activities together and wanted to try their skills in pointillism with the event’s Georges Seurat-inspired activity, which encouraged using Q-tips and paint to make a picture of the museum’s gardens. The family was successful, according to a statement to the Observer

When not making art together, the family enjoys cycling and playing with their golden retriever, Teddy.

Ben is also looking forward to attending OMAM’s 3D summer art camp.

The museum’s Family Art Night takes place most first Fridays of the month from 5:30-7 p.m.

All art supplies are provided, and the program is sponsored in part by the Women United Volusia Chapter. The next program is scheduled for June 2.

Courtesy photos

Gianna Capri visited Morning Star School on April 26 to raise awareness about bullying and promote kindness.

Ben, Emma and Sarah Orfinger, and Troy Troy Talbot

TILLANDSIA GARDEN CLUB TO CELEBRATE 75TH ANNIVERSARY

At the of our care

Happy Nurses Week

Our nurses bring health care to life, leading with extraordinary expertise and healing with a loving heart that provides comfort.

We thank them for living out our mission in such a personal and meaningful way.

NEIGHBORS

Fine art fest

Ormond Beach hosted its annual show featuring fine arts, craft booths, music, food trucks and a kid zone the weekend of May 6 -7.

MICHELE MEYERS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Artists were not deterred as they endured a soggy Saturday morning kickoff to the 49th annual Art in the Park on May 6. As the rain dried, people began to arrive to enjoy a day of fine art, crafts, music and food truck fare.

SHOW AWARDS

FINE ART CATEGORY

Best of Show: Mike Nelson

First place: Elzbieta

Weron

Second place: John Kondos

Merit Award: David

Mallory

Honorable Mention: Taymon Loringsmith

CRAFTS CATEGORY

First place: Susi and Troy Parriott

Second place: Deborah Gleichmann

Merit Award: Joseph Huynh

Honorable Mention: Cynthia Murphy

The event was presented at Rockefeller Gardens by the city of Ormond Beach Department of Leisure Services and the Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens. Sonja Johnson became coordinator of the event in 2015, but has assisted with the event since 2010.

“I love this event,” she said. “This is my baby. How can you be unhappy? It’s an art show.”

Most of the artists and vendors return annually to participate in the show.

This year, there were 92 booths, five musical acts — Stealing Vanity, Dan Allen, Traces of Gold, Love Conspiracy, Tie Dye Road and Jordan Redding — and multiple food trucks.

The kid zone was run by the Palette and Brush Club of the Halifax Area.

Potter Mike Nelson, who won Best of Show in the fine art category, retired in 2019 from teaching art to Volusia County middle schoolers after working for 10 years at Holly Hill School and 12 years at Creekside.

He was awarded a check for $1,500 from the Best of Show sponsor, Mimi’s Original Art.

“Now I just do what I want to do,” he said. “I used to do all kinds of utilitarian pottery. This stuff won’t make any money, exactly, but it’s like showing a diversity of clay to people, and just trying to show it doesn’t all have to be pretty.”

Ormond Beach resident Leann Alexander has been going to the show each year.

“Every year, I go to all the art festivals,” she said. “I love them all. I love to make sure the people here get our money instead of the big fancy stores. You can get such special things here.”

Art in the Park Best of Show fine artist Mike Nelson stands amidst his Brutalist style pottery.

Artist Dan Burleigh Phillips sits with his watercolors at the 49th annual Art in the Park at Rockefeller Gardens.

Everly Suarez holds goodies that were bought for her at the Just Beachy booth.

Photographer Elzbieta Weron shakes hands with Jim Rapp, who just purchased one of her newest pieces at Art in the Park. She won first place in the fine arts category.

Wood turner David Mallory received the Merit Award at the 49th annual Art in the Park show.

Abigail and Nick Nave peruse the booths at Art in the Park while pet Loki meets Sherlock and Ruben Suarez (right).

Photos by Michele Meyers

“I love this event. This is my baby. How can you be unhappy, it’s an art show.”

SONJA JOHNSON, Leisure Services Community Events Coordinator

LOCAL EVENTS

TRIBUTES

Carmelo Juan Figueroa

FRIDAY, MAY 12

ANNUAL ARBOR DAY

MEMORIAL TREE

PLANTING CEREMONY

When: 10 a.m.

Where: Linear Park, 31 Greenway Court, Palm Coast

Carmelo Juan Figueroa, 93 of Palm Coast passed away April 28, 2023 at Orlando Health Dr. Phillips Hospital.

He was born March 30, 1930 in Santurce, Puerto Rico, a son of Pablo and Mercedes Figueroa.

At the age of four, Carmelo and his parents immigrated in Brooklyn New York. After graduating high school, he joined the Navy, where he proudly served for 5 years. Following his honorable discharge, he worked in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and also worked as a welder on the USS Nautilus.

Carmelo then went to work for the City of New York Transit Authority, where he worked for 37 years, retiring as a Deputy Superintendent.

After his retirement, he and his wife moved to Palm Coast. He enjoyed playing

Elizabeth

“Betty” (Gough)

Rhatigan

1936-2023

Elizabeth “Betty” (Gough) Rhatigan, 86, quietly passed away in her sleep early in the morning of April 26, 2023, in New Paltz, NY.

Betty was predeceased by her husband of 55 years, George Rhatigan, her siblings, Maureen (Gough) Bosnich and George Gough, and two of her beloved children, Robert and Richard Rhatigan. She is survived by her children and their families: Michael Rhatigan, Patricia (Rhatigan) Doran, Ellen Rhatigan Teatum, and Daniel Rhatigan; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. She was famously kind and generous of spirit, inspiring great affection in all those who knew her.

Betty was born in Staten Island, NY, to the late George and Helen (O’Brien) Gough, on June 7, 1936, and grew up in the Port Richmond neighborhood. She married George Rhatigan on June 14, 1958, and with him raised six children in Staten Island, before retiring together to Palm Coast, FL. Shortly after George passed in 2014, Betty returned to New York to live in the continuing care retirement community at Woodland Pond at New Paltz, near to her daughter, Patti.

A devout Christian, Betty volunteered a great deal of her time and her considerable energy to her commu-

tennis, handball, traveling, going to casinos, watching bull fighting, and most of all, bowling. His wife of 52 years, Marian Figueroa passed away in 2007.

He leaves three children, Mariana (John) Moore of Orlando, Carmelo (Maria-Cristina) Figueroa of Palm Coast and Antonio (Sulai) Figueroa of Orlando, 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren.

Family and friends were received Friday, May 5, 2023 from 5:00-8:00 PM at Craig-Flagler Palms Funeral Home, where services were held Saturday at 1:00 PM. Interment followed at Flagler Memorial Gardens with Military Honors.

Condolences may be sent to www.craigflaglerpalms. com

403667-1

Details: The Garden Club at Palm Coast will hold its annual Arbor Day Memorial Tree planting ceremony in memory of three members who died in 2022: Linda Thiele, Norma Rizzo and Donal March. A redbud tree will be planted and a memorial plaque placed in the members’ honor. Speakers will include Garden Club President Denise Garcia and Palm Coast Parks and Recreation Director James Hirst. All are invited to attend. For more information, email info@gardenclubatpalmcoast.org.

SATURDAY, MAY 13 13TH

ANNUAL MAYDAY

MEMORIAL SURF CLASSIC

When: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Flagler Beach Pier, 105 S. 2nd St., Flagler Beach

Details: This annual surf event is present-

ed by Halifax Health and aims to raise awareness of heart disease. It is held in memory of Dollie Sue Watson, a former ICU nurse who died of heart disease. The proceeds benefit Halifax Health’s Center for Cardiology Foundation. Visit facebook.com/maydaymemorial.

U-BOATS, SABOTEURS, AND ORANGE GROVES: FLORIDA IN WORLD WAR II

When: 9:30-11 a.m.

Where: AndersonPrice Memorial Building, 42 N. Beach St., Ormond Beach

Details: Ryan Lowery, owner of Patriot Preservation LLC, will discuss Florida’s role in World War II. The program is presented by the Ormond Beach Historical Society thanks to a Florida Humanities grant. Free.

MUM’S DAY CRAFTS

When: 11 a.m. to noon

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

Details: Head over to the EDC for a Mother’s Day themed craft event. Activity is recommended for ages 4-11. Space is limited. Call 386615-7081 to sign up.

FOURTH ANNUAL ORMOND BEACH BEER FEST

When: 12-5 p.m.

Where: The Casements, 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach

Details: The Rotary Club of Ormond Beach will host its fourth annual Ormond Beach Beer Festival, featuring over 100 different beers from more than 35 breweries. Tastings will take place from 1-4 p.m. Tickets cost $35 in advance and $40 the day of the event. Visit ormondbeachbeerfestival.com.

Elaine M. Morgan 1932-2023

SUNDAY, MAY 14

MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH 2023

When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa, 200 Ocean Crest Drive, Palm Coast

Details: Celebrate Mother’s Day at Hammock Beach Golf Resort. Tickets cost $85 for adults and $32 for children ages 4-6. Reservations are required. Call 386-246-5676 or email Christine Losagio at christine. losagio@hammockbeach.com by May 11.

MONDAY, MAY 15

NARFE LUNCHEON

When: 11:30 a.m.

Where: Houligan’s, 1643 U.S.

1, Ormond Beach

Details: The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Chapter 2247 of Ormond Beach. The program will feature a financial adviser who will provide a market update. For more information, email billdenny105@gmail.com.

TUESDAY, MAY 16 FOOD TRUCK TUESDAY

When: 5-8 p.m.

Where: Central Park at Town Center, 975 Central Ave., Palm Coast

Details: Enjoy a variety of foods from local food trucks as part of Food Truck Tuesday in Palm Coast, presented in partnership with the Palm Coast Observer

THURSDAY, MAY 18

SPRING BIRD WALKS WITH JOAN TAGUE

When: 8 a.m.

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

Details: Join Master Naturalist Joan Tague, of Halifax River Audubon, for a casual bird walk along the

trails in Central Park. Bring water. Walking shoes and sunscreen are recommended.

VOLUSIA-FLAGLER SIERRA CLUB SOCIAL GETTOGETHER

When: 5:30-7 p.m.

Where: Hidden Treasure Rose Bay Grill, 5993 S. Ridgewood Ave., Port Orange

Details: Join the Volusia-Flagler Sierra Club for conversation, food, and drink at Hidden Treasure in Port Orange. Visit sierraclub.org/florida/ volusia-flagler.

ORMOND BEACH AREA DEMOCRATIC CLUB

MEETING

When: 7 p.m.

Where: 56 N. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach

Details: Attend the May meeting of the Ormond Beach Area Democratic Club. Social visiting and check-in will begin at 6:30 p.m. There will be updates for presentation and discussion to promote informed activism, such as voting registration and changes in election law. Like-minded nonmembers are welcome to attend as guests. Visit ormondbeachdems.org.

ONGOING THE CASEMENTS CAMERA CLUB’S 10TH-ANNUAL SPRING EXHIBIT

When: May 10-24

Where: The Casements, 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach Details: Come out to The Casements to see the club’s annual spring exhibit, featuring both black and white images as well as colored photographs, and vote for your favorite. The image with the most votes will win a “public choice” ribbon. The Casements is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

EXERCISES FOR THE MATURING BODY

When: 10:30 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays

nity in Staten Island, even while working part-time in the Office of Student Activities at the College of Staten Island. She helped to organize a folk group that provided music at St. Sylvester RC Church in Concord, and was involved for many years with the Lamb of God prayer group that gathered at Mount Manresa, the Jesuit retreat house in Fort Wadsworth.

After Betty and George moved to Palm Coast, already the home of many of their long-time friends, she continued to devote time to the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Flagler Beach, FL, alongside her participation with Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church. With more time to herself in Florida, Betty began to take painting classes, tapping into a love of art that too often fell by the wayside during those busy years of raising her family.

During the fifteen years she

lived in Palm Coast, Betty became a prolific painter of watercolors, creating a legacy to be shared with friends and family.

There will be a mass for Betty at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 7, at Santa Marie Del Mar Catholic Church in Flagler Beach. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society and mail it to Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church, 915 North Central Ave., Flagler Beach, FL 321360130.

MASS: Wednesday, June 7, 9AM Santa Marie Del Mar Catholic Church Flagler Beach

A tribute to Elaine, 90, as her walk on this earth has ceased (April 2023) but she lives on through the many lives she impacted.

Elaine was born in August 1932 and grew up in the northeast. She worked in the accounting industry she enjoyed while being married to the love of her life Jim (who predeceased her in 2005) and spent the latter part of her life in Florida.

Continually sharing her accomplishments as a skilled pianist and painter to enlighten other people’s lives. She had a great love for God’s nature and marvelled in all its aspects. A loving and kind-hearted lady...a caregiver to many throughout her life. Never hesitated...was always there to give.

Everyone that met her fell in love with her. She was a beautiful person inside and out and added a little sparkle to all who knew her. Her quirky hats...her smile... her laughter and gentle soul. Her adopted family members in Palm Coast as well as her goddaughter, cousin, friends, aides, physicians, extended family members and anyone who encountered her will always carry her in their hearts. There will be no memorial services.

If you wish to honor Elaine please donate to the Flagler Humane Society in Palm Coast, Florida.

Where: First Baptist Church of Palm Coast, 6050 Palm Coast Parkway, Palm Coast Details: Attend upbeat classes presented by Synergy Senior Fitness and taught by Senior Fitness Specialist Artie Gardella. Classes are ongoing. Insurance that covers fitness accepted, or a donation for those with no coverage. Visit Synergyseniorfitness.com.

MOAS EXHIBITIONS

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

Where: Museum of Arts and Sciences, 352 S. Nova Road, Daytona Beach

Details: Want to spend a day looking at fine art? The Museum of Arts and Sciences has the following shows on display: “It’s a Kite Thing: Florida Women’s Arts Association,” “A Treasury of Indian and Persian Miniature Paintings” and “Curiosities from the Collection.”

Seabreeze alumnus starts music production label

Cole Sirbu, 20, is studying production at Daytona State College.

ALEXIS MILLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The first time Cole Sirbu picked up an instrument, he knew it would be for more than just high school band. Music became his passion, he said.

Sirbu has always loved music. His father and grandfather were musicians in Nashville, Tennessee. He began learning music his freshman year at Seabreeze High School, and his band teacher played a big role.

“He definitely showed me the passion that comes with music and what it means,” Sirbu said. “I remember in high school, in orchestra, how he helped you actually feel things through the music you’re playing.”

Sirbu plays almost anything with strings: guitar, bass, piano, violin, viola, cello, and upright bass. He plays percussion and is learning how to play brass instruments.

That range of skills allows him variety in his music career and lets him connect with dif-

ferent aspects of music, he said.

“He is naturally a good musician and has the right mind for producing,” said Scott Velazco, associate professor of Music Production Technology at Daytona State College. “The thing he does that most people don’t is being a combination of a music producer and a therapist. He brings out the best in people.”

In December 2022, Sirbu created his own music label, Coda Lens Studios. The name Coda Lens is a mash-up of his name, his brother’s name and his sister’s name.

TRIBUTES

Patricia Elizabeth Dunn McNutt was born on May 29, 1935 in Norwalk Connecticut to Donald and Lucille (Hendricks) Dunn. She departed quietly in Palm Coast, Florida on December 31, 2022 at the age of 87.

Patricia earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Howard University. Years later, as a wife and mother, Patricia (Pat) took graduate courses at Danbury State College and General Education classes at the University of Maryland. Pat taught elementary school in Prince George’s County Maryland for twenty-six years; her students loved her. After retiring, she moved to Palm Coast, Florida with her husband James R. McNutt, Jr., who went home to the Lord in 2013. In 2016, Pat began private art lessons with award winning artist Beatrice Walter. A passion for drawing emerged and continued the rest of her life. Pat marveled every day because God had fulfilled her lifelong desire to draw. Her favorites were portraits, animals, and trees. By 2021, Pat had made hundreds of greeting cards with her drawings, Bible verses, or her poetry. Anyone who received a card “by Pat” was delighted!

Patricia deeply loved Jesus Christ, her Lord. She

read and studied the Bible fervently and prayed for her family daily. Members of Palm Coast United Methodist Church will recall Pat’s joyful spirit, a willingness to serve, her generosity, and her profound faith. Pat trusted and rejoiced in the Lord! Patricia is survived by her adoring children Pamela Leslie Hampton Idriss, Donald Thomas Hampton, and Diane Patricia Hampton (their father, Walter Rivers Hampton, passed in 2001); her son-in-law

Samir Farouk Idriss and her daughter-in-law Angela Clyburn Hampton; her dear twin grandchildren Kendall Thomas Hampton and Karley Elizabeth Hampton born to Donald and Angela; her stepson Kevin McNutt, his wife Desiree, and their children Monica McNutt and Melanie McNutt.

Stepdaughter Kim McNutt passed suddenly in January 2023. Other survivors are

close cousins David, Robin, Rory, Sandy, Karen, and Lynn; extended “family” and caregivers, Ida Harris and Lewis C. Johnson; numerous brothers and sisters in the Lord, and cherished neighbors and friends from Prince George’s County, Palm Coast, and throughout the East Coast.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, May 19, at 10 AM, Palm Coast United Methodist Church, Palm Coast, Florida. Colorful attire is welcome. To livestream, choose “WATCH” at https://palmcoastchurch. org/. Memorial donations can be sent to Florida United Methodist Children’s Home, 51 Children’s Way, Enterprise, FL 32725 or at https:// www.fumch.org.

CELEBRATION

Creating the new label was harder than he thought it would be, Sirbu said, because he didn’t realize how much needed to be done before he could start producing.

“The biggest challenges for me would be the entry into the industry, as it is a very hard one to get into,” he said. “Managing my health and gastroparesis while still learning, growing, having time to create and just finding a way to start a plan was hard. When I first thought I wanted to do this, I knew I needed to start the record

“The

VOLUSIA HISTORY EXHIBIT TO OPEN AT OCEAN CENTER

The Ocean Center’s ECHO Gallery will soon feature art highlighting the Volusia County history.

SCOTT VELAZCO, associate professor of Music Production Technology, Daytona State College

label and then bring artists in to work with me, because I couldn’t do it all by myself.”

The 20-year-old Ormond Beach resident is attending DSC to receive his bachelor’s degree in music production. Until he graduated high school, he planned on being a musician, but as he started college, his goals changed.

“The difference in quality and output between the stuff Cole brought me when he first showed up a year ago and the stuff he’s doing now feels like years of improvement,” Velazco said.

Sirbu’s goal is to create an outlet and voice for artists who don’t have one.

The first song released under the label is called “Lovers” and was released on Jan. 1.

Since then, 10 more songs have been released. He plans to release three songs a month: one of his own, and two from artists under the label. He currently has three artists signed with his label.

“I get to create all the music that goes into the background of someone’s voice and the story they’re telling,” Sirbu said, “We create an atmosphere for the song and how we want the listeners to feel.”

Sirbu said his goal is to open a studio in Atlanta in the next five years. He believes Atlanta has a lot to offer a musician and a producer.

The exhibit will displays work by seven local artists: Bobbi Baugh, J. Walker Fischer, Fred Peace, Clare Radigan, George R. Thomas, Marianne Verna and Robert Wince.

Meet the artists behind the new exhibit in the Ocean Center’s ECHO Gallery from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at the Ocean Center, 101 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach.

The artists will be available to discuss their techniques and inspiration during this free reception sponsored by Volusia County’s ECHO Gallery Committee. Light refreshments will be served. Attendees can also take a guided tour through the Ocean Center and enjoy the art that is part of the county’s Art in Public Places program. Complimentary parking is available in the Ocean Center surface lots and garage.

To RSVP for the event, contact Cultural Coordinator Robert Redd at rredd@ volusia.org or 386-736-5953, ext. 15872. The ECHO Gallery, which faces A1A, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To schedule a visit, call 800-858-6444.

“There’s no money in music

“Is Like a Day Without Sunshine,” by Bobbi Baugh

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too!

Cole Sirbu plays the bass.

Photo by Alexis Miller Cole Sirbu

thing he does that most people don’t is being a combination of a music producer and a therapist. He brings out the best in people.”

Making some noise

“The seniors realized that the stop sign was coming, but they understood that there was a way to illegally drive through that stop sign to keep the season going. One of the messages that we go with is, if you’re upset with your current situation, jam your face in the mirror. Our seniors really embodied that message.”

The Seabreeze baseball team took home the district championship trophy in a 12-2 win over Pine Ridge.

MICHELE MEYERS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Seabreeze ran away with the District 5-5A championship in a 12-2 trouncing of Pine Ridge on Thursday, May 4, breaking its six-year playoff silence and giving the Sandcrabs a slot at the state playoffs.

Seabreeze then opened the playoffs with a 2-1 regional quarterfinal victory at Wesley Chapel on May 9. Evan Miller scattered five hits to get the win. Zachary Banks scored both runs for Seabreeze.

The Sandcrabs will travel to Sebring on Friday, May 12 for a regional semifinal.

Head coach Jeff Lemon was emotional following Seabreeze’s win in the district final at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. In 2018, the Sandcrabs went 2-24 in Lemon’s first year as the assistant coach.

“From that point, going from two and 24, it was about getting the community to become re-involved with the program and getting quality human beings to come in,” he said. “Honestly, the grind was fun every year — coming to work every single day. Once our guys saw the community getting involved, they started investing harder in the program. Obviously, we took our lumps along the way, but I guess that’s what makes this even sweeter.”

Seniors Banks, Mason Boice, Dylan Cavanaugh, Ethan Gilbert, Miller and Scott Treur have been consistent leaders throughout the season.

Two weeks before the game, Lemon talked to them about the importance their leadership roles would play in becoming district champions. He relied on them to get the message to the underclassmen and get the younger players invested. They did.

“The seniors realized that the stop sign was coming, but they understood that there was a way to illegally drive through that stop sign to keep the season going,” he said. “One of the messages that we go with is, if you’re upset with your current situation, jam your face in the mirror. Our seniors really embodied that message.”

Cavanaugh pitched seven innings, striking out nine and walking one against Pine Ridge. He only gave up two runs on five hits. Cheers of “Let’s go Cavi!” from the dugout motivated him to “put it all on the table.” He said he feels that 18 years of hard work led to the district champion-

ship his senior year.

“The shift in the game was that second and third inning, when we started lacing the ball and getting some barrels,” he said. “They started shivering — started making errors in the field. We were just hitting the ball hard and making plays in the field. That’s all you can do to win a game.”

Pine Ridge got the game going in the first inning with a run by senior Ryan Verdi on a double by teammate Nathan Dipio. In the top of the second inning, a bunt by Gilbert, a sacrifice bunt by Boice and a third bunt by Noah Katsikos scored Tommy Hayes with the Sandcrabs’ first run.

In the second inning, Banks said he knew he had to do something for his team. Sophomore Rustin Hurley was hanging at third after hitting a double to left field and bringing Gilbert home. The pitch was low and inside when Banks drove it to right field for a double and his first RBI of the game. “I felt like I needed to do a job and score some runs so we could get the energy up and then it kept dogpiling,” he said. “We just kept getting more runs. We brought the energy the whole game. That’s what I like about this team. Everybody — the bench players, the starters, the coaches—everybody brought energy.

The plan (for regionals) — keep hitting the ball as a team.”

Banks finished the game with one run and two RBIs. He finished the regular season leading the team with a .415 batting average, 15 stolen bases, 27 hits, 20 runs and three triples. He is also finishing his senior year in the AICE program with a 4.4 GPA.

Pitcher Cavanaugh finished the regular season with 37 strikeouts, 11 RBIs and four doubles. He and Banks were excited to go to the playoffs. Now they are one win away from advancing to the regional final.

The Seabreeze baseball team celebrates its District 5-5A championship after a 12-2 win.

Photos by Michele Meyers

Seabreeze player Dylan Cavanaugh pitched seven innings, striking out nine and walking one. He only surrendered two runs on five hits.

Seabreeze short stop Mason Boice bunts in the district final

Seabreeze second baseman Noah Katsikos scored one run and had one RBI in the district final.

JEFF LEMON, Seabreeze head baseball coach

Special moment: Mainland advances to flag football state semifinals

A heart-stopping touchdown by Cadence Haley and a timely interception by Kassie Stoner helped Bucs win the region championship, 7-0.

BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Mainland flag football coach Ethan Simpson didn’t expect to be buying doughnuts this late in the season. But a shutout is a shutout, and a doughnut looks like the number zero, and that’s how many points Boynton Beach Somerset Canyons scored against the Buccaneers in the Region 1-1A championship game Monday, May 8, at the Bucs’ field.

With the 7-0 win, Mainland (145) advanced to the state final four for the first time in program history. “This is a very special moment,” Simpson said. “We had a rough patch at first. But we improved each week. I kept telling the girls how special they are, and now they believe it.”

They will meet Tampa Robinson (19-2) in a Class 1A semifinal at 7:15 p.m. Friday, May 12, at Mandarin High School in Jacksonville. The winner will play the winner of the Miami Edison-Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee game for the championship on May 13.

“I didn’t expect that at all,” Simpson said of the shutout. “But we tell the girls, ‘Defense wins championships.’”

But Simpson said he had to keep telling himself to keep calm, “don’t freak out,” as Somerset was driving for a potential game-tying touchdown in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter.

In the blink of an eye, Bucs senior Kassie Stoner turned anxiety into celebration as she stepped in front of Delanie Doty to pick off a pass and allow the Bucs to run out the clock.

“That’s how we knew we are going

“She had that little pause there. I thought she wasn’t going to get it. I had a little heart attack. We were all yelling, ‘Go, go, go.’ Then she punched it in.”

AVA COLUBIALE on Cadence Haley's touchdown catch

to states,” quarterback Ava Colubiale said of Stoner’s interception. “The feeling is indescribable.”

Stoner said she knew the pass was going to Doty, who came into the game with 130 catches on the season.

“I was looking for the deep ball, but I saw her turn, so I went for it,”

RELUCTANT STAR

Ava Colubiale never wanted to play quarterback.

“We had an amazing quarterback in Alexa Wilson my first three years here,” Colubiale said.

Wilson is now starring at Thomas University in Georgia.

She was the only freshman named to the All-Sun Conference team this season.

Colubiale, a former tight end, was next in line to start at quarterback for the Bucs.

“I was the backup last year, and it was very stressful when I had to go in,” she said. “I thought, ‘What am I going to do next year when (Wilson) leaves and I have to start?”

What she has done is throw for over 3,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in helping the Bucs advance to the state semifinals for the first time.

“I had to step up,” she said. “Quarterback is my favorite position now.”

Stoner said. “This was definitely a nailbiter. This is the furthest Mainland’s ever gone. It’s very exciting.”

The Bucs scored the game’s only touchdown on Cadence Haley’s fourth-down, 17-yard catch in the final seconds of the first half. Colubiale said she was ready to check down to a short pass before she saw Haley was open on a post pattern.

Colubiale hit Haley with the pass and Haley … stopped. She thought a Somerset player had pulled her flag, but the player had missed.

“She had that little pause there,” Colubiale said. “I thought she wasn’t going to get it. I had a little heart attack. We were all yelling, ‘Go, go, go.’ Then she punched it in.”

Haley extended the ball over the goal line just before her flag was pulled.

“I was right there,” Stoner said. “I saw her extend it.”

Simpson recalled yelling, “Run, run,” when Haley caught it. “It felt like a long time,” he said. “I thought she wasn’t going to get in. We tell them all the time, ‘Run until you hear the whistle.’”

Stoner caught the extra-point pass from Colubiale to give the Bucs the slim 7-0 lead at halftime. The defense did the rest, recording its third shutout of the season. Mainland intercepted four passes, including two by Colubiale and one each by Kamryn Williamson and Stoner.

A shutout means the coach buys doughnuts for everybody.

“The girls were saying, ‘We’re going to states, and we’re getting doughnuts,’” Simpson said. “The first two times I went to Dunkin’, but tonight I’m going to see if the hot light is on at Krispy Kreme.”

By Luis Campos

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“UOXWBABK DGC ZG WG FXHL ECTTBEE, DGC OXAB WG OXLF HL WOBKB XLZ

OGJB FGGZ WOHLFE OXJJBL. XVUXDE WOHLI JGEHWHAB.” ZGL KHTIVBE I

82 Car that rhymes with “see it” in “Jiggle Jiggle”

83 Book ID

84 Tennis player’s headwear

88 Genetic messenger (Abbr.)

89 Switch from a GR86 to a Prius, say

90 Agent Jimmy Woo’s org.

91 One can be drawn, figuratively or literally

93 Baking soda amt.

98 Gumbo vegetable

99 Composure

100 Chip dips

101 Bit of ink

103 Operatic solos

107 Stockholm citizen

108 Hathaway and Rice

109 Constellation component

110 Word before “vault” or “dance”

111 Slid into an inbox (Abbr.)

112 One of the seven deadly sins

113 “May It Be” singer

114 ___ in (join a Zoom call)

116 Actress Moore

118 iPhone purchase

119 Cavs, on scoreboards

120 Chinese philosopher

Lao-___

122 ___ and downs

“K’T EVARORPN YVKZKSF THGKJ SAY UAV ZXB GOTB VBOGAS OG K GZOVZBC

YVKZKSF GASFG YXBS K YOG 14 -- ZA

TBBZ YATBS.” MSLXNPCJ MKLLANN

“KD SHDHPTR CHBCRH COI IBB WOZX VTKIX KD IXH PKZX, IXH VTWBOF, IXH CBRKIKZKTDF, TDJ DBI HDBOSX VTKIX KD IXHWFHRNHF.” MBDB © 2023 NEA, Inc.

Puzzle One Clue: U equals W Puzzle Two Clue: J equals C Puzzle Three Clue: J equals D

COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS by May Huang, edited by Jeff Chen

Mainland players congratulate Cadence Haley, second from right, after she caught a touchdown pass in the closing seconds of the first half.

Adrianna Mallumaci returns a punt.

Photos by Brent Woronoff

SIDE

LINES

Bulldogs hope to be in the hunt for a state track title

If everything falls into place for Flagler Palm Coast at the Class 4A boys track and field championships on May 20, the Bulldogs could win their third state championship.

FPC won state titles in 2007 and 2009 and finished third in 2008 and second in 2019.

“I would say our team is just as talented as we were in 2019,” FPC coach Dave Halliday said.

The track championships will be held on four consecutive days, May 17-20, at the University of North Florida.

BULLDOGS AT LAKE MARY

FPC’s softball team will travel to Lake Mary on Thursday, May 11, for a regional quarterfinal game. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The fifth-seeded Bulldogs finished the season with a 13-4 record. It was their first winning season since they went 14-12 in 2017, which was also the last time they reached the playoffs.

Fourth-seeded Lake Mary enters the playoffs with a 1213 record, but the Rams had played a tough schedule.

The Bulldogs’ top hitters are senior Bailey Holmes (.556, 27 runs), Aun’yale Howard (.545, 25 runs).

The quarterfinal winner will travel to top-seeded Lake Brantley or play host to No. 8 Winter Park in a regional semifinal on Tuesday, May 16.

Based on regional times, Halliday and his coaches project the Bulldogs to finish in a three-way tie for second place with Sanford Seminole and Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas — 14 points behind three-time state champ Niceville. But track meets are not decided on paper.

“We could end up sixth or seventh or win the whole thing,” Halliday said.

The Bulldogs finished second with 68 points behind Niceville (97.5 points) at the Region 1-4A meet on May 5. To knock the Eagles off their perch, the Bulldogs will have to knock off a bunch of personal records.

Many of them did that at region. They’ll try to do it again at state.

Ashton Bracewell (discus) and Gerod Tolbert (long jump) won district titles. Bracewell, a first-year discus thrower, broke his PR by 5 feet, launching the disc 162 feet, 6 inches.

“He’s only two to three feet away from the school record, which could be nothing in discus,” Halliday said.

“He was the best discus thrower of all four regions. But you just have to do it on the day.”

Tolbert, who placed fourth in triple jump at state last year, did not qualify in that event, but he did win long jump at region with a PR of 22 feet, 8.5 inches. Robert Harris finished third with a PR of 22 feet, 0.75 inches.

Zach Spooner ran a PR of 9:15.40 to finish second in the 3,200, two seconds behind Class 4A top-ranked Matt Ryan of Nease.

The 4x400 (Isaiah Joseph, D.J. Murray, Brandon Kalasnik and D.Z. Steward) and 4x800 (Kamron Davis,

STATE QUALIFIERS

CLASS 4A

FPC

BOYS

400: 5. D.J. Murray, 48.75

3,200: 2. Zach Spooner, 9:15.40

400 hurdles: 4. Isaiah Joseph, 55.84

4x400: 2. Isaiah Joseph, D.J. Murray, Brandon Kalasnik, D.Z. Steward, 3:17.00

4x800: 2. Kamron Davis, Isaiah Joseph, Peyton Woodward, Brandon Kalasnik, 7:55.85

Discus: 1. Ashton Bracewell, 49.53 meters (162 feet, 6 inches)

Joseph, Peyton Woodward and Kalasnik) relays both placed second.

Three FPC shot putters qualified with at-large bids, led by sophomore Colby Cronk (fifth), who threw a PR of 51 feet, 6.5 inches. Mainland’s boys team won Region 2-3A with 96 points. Lake Minneola and Ocala Vanguard tied for second with 60 points.

The Bucs won three events and finished second in two others. Jonathan Williams (110 hurdles), Cameron Boatright (400 meters) and the 4x400 relay (Seth Sawyer, Logan Camara, Boatright and Drayden Wood) all took home gold medals. Boatright ran a PR in the 400 of 47.84 seconds.

The 4x800 relay (Sawyer, Khalil Wilmore, Jack Mathis and Camara) finished second. High jumper Zavier Mincey also placed second. Seabreeze’s girls placed fifth at Region 2-3A. Mackenzie Roy broke her own school record with a 5:05.02 to win the 1,600.

The Sandcrabs placed second in the 4x800 with Nickole Dane, Kirsten Glaenzer, Arianna Roy and Mackenzie Roy running 9:46.44.

On the boys’ side, Seabreeze’s Zeli Hayworth and Chandler Mitzo placed 1-2 in javelin with Hayworth throwing a PR 177 feet, 4 inches. Mitzo threw 173 feet, 5 inches. Klellan Lubbe ran a PR of 1:58.08 in the

Javelin: 5. Elijah Tero, 48.42 (15810) Shot put: 5. Colby Cronk, 15.71 (51-6.5); 9. Jake Blumengarten, 14.84 (48-8.25); 11. Drew Droste,

14.61 (47-11.5)

Long jump: 1. Gerod Tolbert, 6.92 (22-8.5); 3. Robert Harris, 6.72 (22-0.75)

GIRLS Shot put: 5. Maya Tyson, 10.99 (36-0.75).

Class 3A

SEABREEZE

BOYS

800: 2. Klellan Lubbe, 1:58.08

Javelin: 1. Zeli Hayworth, 54.05 meters (177 feet, 4 inches); 2. Chandler Mitzo, 52.86 (173-5)

400 hurdles: 7. Charles (Grant)

Scrabis, 52.23 (pending appeal of DQ of Miami Northwestern hurdlers).

GIRLS

1,600: 1. Mackenzie Roy, 5:05.02

1,600: 5. Arianna Roy, 5:13.69

4x800: 2. Nickole Dane, Kirsten Glaenzer, Arianna Roy, Mackenzie Roy, 9:46.44.

800 to finish second.

At the Region 1-3A meet, Matanzas’ girls broke a couple of school records. Sierra Howard, Jordan Youngman, Luise Sommer and

MAINLAND

BOYS

400: 1. Cameron Boatright, 47.84

110 hurdles: 1. Jonathan Williams, 14:35; 3. Damarcus Creecy, 15.04; 4. Emmanuel Yisrael, 15.15

400 hurdles: 4. Damarcus Creecy, 56.64.

4x400: 1. Seth Sawyer, Logan Camara, Cameron Boatright, Drayden Wood, 3:22.88

4x800: 2. Seth Sawyer, Khalil Wilmore, Jack Mathis, Logan Camara, 8:14.56

High jump: 2. Zavier Mincey, 1.92 meters (6-3.5); 3. Zion Noralus, 1.87 (6-1.5) Discus: 3. Demond Noelien, 43.97 (144-3)

MATANZAS BOYS

Discus: 3. Ayden Cox, 150 feet, 7 inches. GIRLS

4x400: 2. Sierra Howard, Jordan Youngman, Luise Sommer, Evanne Miller, 4:01.66 (school record)

400: 3. Evanne Miller, 58.91

800: 5. Sierra Howard, 2:20.41

400 hurdles: 4. Jordan Youngman, 1:05.23. (school record)

CLASS A FATHER LOPEZ BOYS

800: 5. Andrew Gazzoli, 2:01.85

4x800: 4. Matthew Gazzoli, Felipe Paredes, Talan Spires, Andrew Gazzoli, 8:15.57.

Girls

High jump: 3. Caroline Theriault, 1.47 meters (4-9.75).

400 hurdles: 5. Caroline Theriault, 1:11.76

Pole vault: 2. Angelina Stable, 2.85 (9-4.25) Javelin: 2. Hailey Bruce, 127-7.

Evanne Miller broke the school mark in the 4x400 with a 4:01.66 to place second. Youngman broke the school mark in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:05.23.

3BR, 2BA home features formal dining room, formal living room & spacious kitchen w/ breakfast nook. Master suite w/ private master bath and large walk in closet. Family room opens to your covered lanai, inground swimming pool and private wooded area behind home. Located on a quiet culde-sac. 600 SF heated garage. MLS#1104064 $425,000 Call Buzzy Porter at 386-405-1000.

Beautiful 3 bed 2.5 bath family home. Located on a large corner lot w/ gorgeous golf course views!! New windows in 2023, laminate flooring in 2021, and a new screen porch in 2021. The bright open kitchen has plenty of cabinets and counter space. $425,000

There is also a detached 3-CG. Oak hardwood floors throughout entire home, large living area, dining room, office/den area, kitchen with granite countertops and tons of cabinet and counterspace. Home also has a fenced in backyard. MLS#1106664 $489,000 Call Buzzy Porter at 386-405-1000.

The oceanfront home of Hawaiian Tropic founder Ron Rice, this 12,000 sqft oceanfront estate is now on the market for the first time! A commanding presence on A1A, the grounds encompass a full acre lot with 200 feet of beach frontage. Situated on a highly desirable stretch of Ormond Beachside along with other multimillion-dollar residences, the home sits high on the no-drive beach making it your private oasis. Expansive outdoor decking links 3 pools, 2 oceanfront owners suite and more. $4,999,900

BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR

File photo by Brent Woronoff FPC senior Zach Spooner (168), here running at the Five Star Conference meet on April 12, ran a personal record

in the

at the Region

meet on May 5.

File photo by Brent Woronoff Bailey Holmes

House in Island Estates tops sales list in Flagler County

Ahouse in Island Estates was the top real estate transaction for March 22-28 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. William Welker and Jessica Miller, of Palm Coast, sold 11 Island Estates Parkway to Patrick and Michele Kirse, of Palm Coast, for $1,515,000. Built in 1993, the house is a 4/5.5 and has a fireplace, a pool, a boat dock, a hot tub and 4,412 square feet of living space. It sold in 2020 for $912,500.

ALEXIS MILLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Condos John Bader, as trustee, sold 200 Ocean Crest Drive, Unit 233, to John and Kristine Percoskie, of Lynnfield, Massachusetts, for $315,000. Built in 2003, the condos is a 1/1 and has 678 square feet. It sold in 2019 for $156,000.

Pasquale Casale, Angela Casale, Domenico Casale, and Giovannina Casale, of Winter Park, sold 800 Cinnamon Beach Way, Unit 722, to MarStac 722, LLC, of Palm Coast, for $750,000. Built in 2003, the condo is a 3/2 and has 1,682 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $635,000.

David and Eileen Ballman, as trustees, sold 50 Palm Harbor Parkway, Unit 32, to Robert and Judy Bemmels, of Palm Coast, for $509,000. Built in 2003, the condo is a 3/3 and has 2,149 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $390,000.

PALM COAST

Belle Terre

D.R. Horton, Inc., of St. Johns, sold 264 Parkview Drive to Luis Font Lugo, of Palm Coast, for $314,100. Built in 2022, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,862 square feet.

Elfriede Mary Perkins, as trustee, sold 42 Bayside Drive to Kevin and Kelli Nesselhauf, of Palm Coast, for $340,000. Built in 1998, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,941 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $212,000.

Maronda Homes, LLC, of Jacksonville, sold 24 Post Tree Lane to Osvaldo Sanchez and Migdalia Viera, of Palm Coast, for $420,000. Built in 2023, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,427 square feet.

Grand Landings

Dream Finders Homes, LLC, of Jacksonville, sold 162 Wood Stork Lane to Shawn and Tiffany Harmon, of Palm Coast, for $420,000. Built in 2022, the house is a 4/2 and has 2,213 square feet.

Hammock Dunes

Daniel and Sheryl Kuznar, of Muskegon, Michigan, sold 16 Corte Del Mar to Nigel and Jacqueline Sopp, of Palm Coast, for $1,056,500. Built in 1990, the house is a 4/4.5 and has a pool, a hot tub and 3,531 square feet. It sold in

Home in Ormond-by-the-Sea is top seller, at $2 million

Ahouse in Ormond-by-the-Sea was the top real estate transaction for March 26 to April 1 in Ormond Beach and Ormond-by-the-Sea.

Jason and Melanie Penney, of Port Orange, sold 1786 John Anderson Drive to Chaney Bruce Gordy, Jr. and Gina Louise Zeiger, of Ormond, for $2,000,000. Built in 2007, the house is a 4/5.5 with a pool, hot tub, fireplace, boat dock and 5,077 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $1,250,000.

2006 for $650,000.

Indian Trails Ashley Bronwynn and George William Peto, of Palm Coast, sold 7 Beacon Mill Lane to Lior Weinstein, of Atlanta, Georgia, for $395,000. Built in 1988, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,968 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $420,000.

Richard and Lynn Nicholson, of Ellington, Connecticut, sold 16 Bronson Lane to Artem Vassiouk and Julie Dejesus, of Palm Coast, for $327,800. Built in 1989, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,993 square feet. It sold in 2000 for $105,000.

Rostislav Gleyberman, of Brooklyn, New York, sold 23 Barkwood Lane to Ricky Lee Robinson and Nina Zemlianskaya, of Palm Coast, for $300,000. Built in 1997, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,631 square feet. It sold in 2012 for $110,000.

Lehigh Woods

Clark Rodano and Elizabeth Trehey, of Bishopville, Maryland, sold 161 Ryan Drive to George and Patricia Stumpf, of Palm Coast, for $442,500. Built in 2018, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, a hot tub and 1,798 square feet. It sold in 2023 for $420,000.

Lisa Singh and Christine Walker Singh, of Palm Coast, sold 1 Round Tree Drive to Andrew Michah Russ and Brittani Russ, of Ormond Beach, for $266,900. Built in 1997, the house is a 3/2 with a pool and 1,422 square feet.

Matanzas Woods

Seagate Homes, LLC, of Palm Coast, sold 81 Lindsay Drive to David Fleming and Wilma Colby-Fleming, of Palm Coast, for $446,900. Built in 2022, the house is a 3/2 and has 2,208 square feet.

Not in a subdivision Holiday Builders, Inc., of Melbourne, sold 33 Sea Flower Path to Ursula Ann and Michael John Paszkiet, of Palm Coast, for $311,000. Built in 2022, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,552 square feet.

Ocean Hammock

Preston and Kathryn Richards, of Martinsville, Indiana, sold 64 Oak View Circle West to Jonathan and Marcella Arnett, of Palm Coast, for $1,075,000. Built in 2015,

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

MAR. 22 - 28

the house is a 4/2.5 and has a pool, a hot tub, a fireplace and 3,209 square feet.

Pine Lakes Robert and Dana Mack, of Jacksonville, sold 6 Willard Place to Michael and Nikol Avella Keith, of Palm Coast, for $248,500. Built in 1987, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,305 square feet. It sold in 2016 for $125,500.

Joseph, John, and Michael Dimon, of Palm Coast, sold 9 Woodholme Lane to Alexander Oznobkin, of Fairview, New Jersey, for $450,000. Built in 2002, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 2,284 square feet.

Quail Hollow Florida Sun Partners, LLC, of Orlando, sold 9 Zorro Court to Jeffery Davis and Karen Mowery, of Palm Coast, for $445,000. Built in 2023, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,306 square feet.

D.R. Horton, Inc., of St. Johns, sold 9 Zollinger Place to James Lloyd Walker and Alexandria Luisa Soto, of Palm Coast, for $317,000. Built in 2022, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,862 square feet.

Sawmill Creek Holiday Builders, Inc., of Melbourne, sold 18 Oakleaf Way to Timothy and Allison Kisner, of Palm Coast, for $370,000. Built in 2023, the house is a 4/3 and has 1,973 square feet.

Seminole Woods

D.R. Horton, Inc., of St. Johns, sold 223 Underwood Trail to Bryan Mitchell Welsh, of Palm Coast, for $318,000. Built in 2022, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,862 square feet.

Woodlands Sheri Stambaugh and Thomas Cassilly Rogers, of Kettering, Ohio, sold 17 Blasdell Court to Deborah Pelatti Roche, of Palm Coast, for $279,000. Built in 1977, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,154 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $290,000.

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

ALEXIS MILLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Condos Ashley and Katherine Schubert, of Ormond Beach, sold 210 Lemon Tree Lane, Unit 210J, to Wayne and Shawndra Wahlgren, of International Falls, Minnesota, for $236,000. Built in 1984, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,196 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $142,500.

Jan Erik Skrefsrud and Nina Alm Odegard, of Ormond Beach, sold 1 John Anderson Drive, Unit 6160, to Elise and James Bieksha, of Ormond Beach, for $485,000. Built in 1996, the condo is a 2/2/5 and has 1,745 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $152,000.

Thomas and Sheridan

Schilawske, Tracy Kaye Beck and Kelly Kathleen Kosky, of Milford, Michigan, sold 1183 Ocean Shore Blvd., Unit 701, to DBR Associates, LLC, of Hanover, Maryland, for $475,000. Built in 1995, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,200 square feet. It sold in 2014 for $220,000.

ORMOND BEACH

Halifax Plantation 3957 Acoma Drive Land Trust, Asila Holdings, LLC, as trustee, sold 3957 Acoma Drive to Kristi Lee Schatz and Matthew James Beyrer, of Ormond Beach, for $610,000. Built in 1991, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 2,106 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $400,000.

Martin Heesacker, as trustee, sold 3045 Monaghan Drive to Lawrence and Linda Scovotto, of Ormond Beach, for $399,000. Built in 2005, the house is a 3/2 and has 2,253 square feet. It sold in 2006 for $370,000.

Charlene Crooks, of Ormond Beach, sold 3400 Rexford Circle to Daniel Lee and Karen Hutchins Mulder, of Ormond Beach, for $625,000. Built in 2006, the house is a 4/2.5 and has a pool and 2,915 square feet. It sold in 2006 for $630,000.

William Haussmann, of Ormond Beach, sold 2920 Monaghan Drive to Donna Kahle, as trustee, for $495,000. Built in 2021, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,107 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $396,000.

Hunters Ridge

Loretta McConnell, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, sold 3 Meadow Ridge View to Kurt and Deborah Spain, of Ormond Beach, for $375,000. Built in 1991, the house is a 2/2 and has a fireplace and 1,730 square feet. It sold in 1992 for $130,000.

Janice Cox, of Lebanon, Tennessee, sold 90 Abacus Ave. to Stephanie Olin, as trustee, for $464,500. Built in 2014, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,983 square feet. It sold in 2014 for $230,000.

Not in a subdivision

Debra Christine Isaacs, as trustee, sold 1291 Fernway Drive to Keith Gardner, of Ormond Beach, for $265,000. Built in 1960, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,292 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $202,500.

D.R. Horton, Inc., of Orlando, sold 205 Sandoval Drive to Maria Eduarda Lima, of Ormond Beach, for $375,500. Built in 2022, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,828 square feet.

Oakview

Justin Ray, of Ormond Beach, sold 41 Oakview Circle to Mehrdad Nesari and Atosa Hakimpour, of Gordonsville, Virginia, for $375,000. Built in 1958, the house is a 2/1.5 and has 1,327 square feet. It sold in 2003 for $120,000.

Ormond Lakes Leonard Morreale, Jr. and Kristie Spadaccini, of Ormond Beach, sold 10 Sherrington Drive to Kent and Patricia Shepard, of Ormond Beach, for $398,000. Built in 2000, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 2,596 square feet. It sold in 2013 for $162,000.

Park Place

Lori Lynn Rebuck, of Ormond Beach, sold 22 Park Place to Tammy and Ian Kemp, of Ormond Beach, for $243,000. Built in 1983, the house is a 2/2.5 and has 1,430 square feet. It sold in 2019 for $146,000.

Rosemont Michael and Leanne Kratofil, of Ormond Beach, sold 216 Ponce De Leon Drive to Bromley Westberry and Diana Fritz, of Ormond Beach, for $659,000. Built in 2007, the house is a 3/3

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

MAR. 26 - APR. 1

and has a fireplace and 2,546 square feet.

The Trails Mallen Zabinski, as trustee, sold 620 Main Trail to Kristin Nichole Straley, of Ormond Beach, for $235,000. Built in 1979, the house is a 3/3 and has a fireplace and 1,737 square feet. It sold in 1980 for $67,300.

Village of Pine Run Tami Williams, of Ormond Beach, sold 24 Walnut Lane to Dallas and Carrie Moore, of Ormond Beach, for $517,500. Built in 1979, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, a fireplace and 2,140 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $450,000.

ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA

Chaney Bruce Gordy, Jr. and Gina Louise Zeiger, of Ormond Beach, sold 1672 John Anderson Drive to Robann and Donald Cunningham, of Ormond Beach, for $1,690,000. Built in 1955, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool, a fireplace, a dock and 2,900 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $1,550,000.

John and Laura Kraus, of Ormond Beach, sold 10 Palmetto Drive to Powersports Properties, LLC, of Loveland, Colorado, for $222,500. Built in 1954, the house is a 2/1 and has 700 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $155,000.

Jo Ellen Milano and Barbra Tancredi, as trustees, sold 1 Seacrest Drive to Sunny Dog D, LLC, of St. Augustine, for $290,000. Built in 1959, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,335 square feet. It sold in 1983 for $47,000.

Tyler Dean, as trustee, sold 26 South Sea Island Drive to Kristy McCann and William Flynn, of Ormond Beach, for $685,000. Built in 1990, the house is a 4/2.5 and has a pool and 2,425 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $360,000.

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

is pending in the Circuit Court for Flagler County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Kim C. Hammond Justice Center, 1769 E Moody Blvd., Bldg 1, Bunnell, FL 32110. The name and address of the Personal Representative and the Personal Representative’s attorney are set forth below. The estate is testate and the date of the Will is August 31st, 2018.

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE

NOTIFIED THAT:

That any interested person on whom the notice is served who challenges the validity of the will, the qualifications of the personal representative, venue, or jurisdiction of the court is required to file any objections with the court in the manner provided in the Florida Probate Rules within the time required by law or those objections are forever barred;

That interested persons are required to file with the court any objection by an interested person on whom the notice was served that challenges the validity of the will, the qualifications of the personal representative, venue, or jurisdiction of the court within 3 months after the date of service of a copy of the notice of administration on the objecting person.

That any person entitled to exempt property is required to file a petition for determination of exempt property within the time provided by law or the right to exempt property is deemed waived;

That a surviving spouse seeking an elective share must file an election to take elective share within the time provided by law.

That all creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file claims against the Estate with the Court within the time periods provided by law and set forth in Sections 733.702 and 733.710, Florida Statutes, or be

VOLUSIA COUNTY LEGAL NOTICES

FIRST INSERTION

IN POSSESSION. Sale to be at LEGACY HCE LLC DBA HIGHLAND COUNTRY ESTATES MHC, 830 NORTH HIGHWAY, DEBARY, FL 32713. 813-241-8269. May 11, 18, 2023 23-00062V

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

ONE DAYTONA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

The Board of Supervisors of the One Daytona Community Development District (“District”) will hold its regular meeting on Friday, May 19, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at International Motorsports Center, located at One Daytona Boulevard, Daytona Beach, FL 32114. A copy of the agenda for the meeting can be obtained from the District Office at PFM Group Consulting LLC, 3501 Quadrangle Boulevard, Suite 270, Orlando, FL 32817 or by phone at (407) 723-5900. Additionally, a copy of the agenda, along with any meeting materials available in an electronic format, may be obtained at www.OneDaytonaCDD.org.

The meeting is open to the public and will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Florida law. There may be occasions when one or more Board Supervisors or staff members will participate by telephone. The meeting may be continued in progress without additional notice to a time, date, and location stated on the record. Meetings may be cancelled from time to time without advertised notice.

Any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting is asked to advise the District Office at (407) 723-5900, at least 48 hours before the meetings. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Florida Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1, or 1-800-955-8771 (TTY) / 1-800-955-8770 (Voice), for aid in contacting the District Office.

Any person who decides to appeal any decision made by the Board with respect to any matter considered at the meeting is advised that the person will need a record of the proceedings and that accordingly, the person may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is based.

Jane Gaarlandt District Manager

May 11, 2023

22-00063V

COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO

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