Palm Coast Observer 7-20-23

Photo

Photo by

CITY WATCH

Council reduces tax rate, considers new FPL fee

After hot debate from the public and council, the Palm Coast City Council has voted to reduce the city’s maximum millage rate but also preliminarily approved entering into a franchise fee agreement with Florida Power and Light.

The franchise fee agreement would fund the city’s pavement management program.

BY THE NUMBERS

4.2570

the rollback millage rate for the 2024 budget. City Council set this rate as the city’s maximum millage rate during a July 18 meeting.

4.6100

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Waterfront Park construction to end by Aug. 18

The construction at Waterfront Park is nearing completion, and a ribboncutting ceremony is planned for Aug. 18.

The ceremony will be from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and residents are encouraged to attend, according to a press release from Palm Coast.

The work began with a groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 30, 2022.

Workers are expanding the park’s parking lot and adding a floating dock and a water-access point for nonmotorized vessels like kayaks and canoes.

The construction teams are finalizing the site work and laying sod, but the floating dock is complete and has even attracted a family of manatees, the press release said.

The park has remained open to residents during construction, with some partial closures or detours.

The enhancements were partly funded through a $533,000 grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District.

Bringing water access to Waterfront Park has been part of the city’s parks master plan since 2005.

Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin proposed that the City Council adopt the rollback rate of 4.2570 — or $4.2570 per $1,000 in taxable property value — which would reduce the budget by $2.8 million in existing property taxes.

The council voted 3-2 at a July 18 meeting to adopt 4.2570 as the city’s maximum millage rate, with Vice Mayor Ed Danko and Council member Cathy Heighter dissenting.

The city has set a millage of 4.6100 mills since the 2021-2022 fiscal year. Prior to that, the millage rate was higher.

Residents had packed the seats of City Hall’s community room for the meeting, and almost all opposed to the franchise fee.

Danko, Heighter and many of the residents who spoke said the council needs to trim the budget first and find the money there instead.

Danko said he voted against the rollback rate because adding a new “tax” through the franchise fee while telling residents the city is cutting taxes is a “smoke and mirrors” political tactic by the mayor.

“I’ve got to tell you, Mr. Mayor, I am ashamed of you today,” Danko said. “This is the oldest trick in the book.”

Alfin defended his reasoning for reducing the millage rate maximum, saying that going to the rollback rate means that the budget will need to be cut regardless: The rollback rate will generate the same dollar amount in property taxes as the current rate did this year, which is $2.8 million less than the originally proposed 2024 budget.

“How can you possibly get to a rolled back rate without cutting the budget,” Alfin said.

“By taxing people on their electric

bill,” Danko said in reply.

Council member Theresa Carli Pontieri proposed a motion that the council enter into an agreement with FPL at a 0.5% rate on the condition that the fee rate is placed on the 2024 general election ballot, and that revenue from the agreement is only used to maintain the city’s current roadways. The agreement has a fee rate range of 0.5% to 6%.

The council approved Pontieri’s motion in a 3-2 vote, with Danko and Heighter dissenting. The council will need to vote a second time on Aug. 1 to adopt the franchise fee ordinance with the stated conditions.

The franchise fee agreement would last 30 years if the council approves it in the second vote, but the council could review and adjust the percentage annually.

Pontieri said the 0.5% rate would cost residents about $1 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours each month.

Diversifying the city’s income away from property taxes will help protect the city and residents if property values drop again like they did in the 2008 recession, when they dropped from $7 billion in 2008 to $3.6 billion in 2014, Pontieri said.

“What we’re trying to consider here is how do we make ourselves more recession-proof, diversify our revenues and are not so heavily reliant on ad valorem,” Pontieri said.

City attorney Neysa Borkert said the franchise fee agreement would go into effect 60-90 days after the council’s second vote, if the council approves it. She did not know if the fee rate could legally be placed on the ballot, but said her firm would find out and tell the council at the second-reading hearing.

the city’s millage rate for the last two years

$2.8 million

must be trimmed from the city budget or obtained from nonad-valorem sources to match the rollback millage rate.

30 years

the length of the proposed franchise fee agreement between the city and Florida Power and Light

0.5% the proposed rate that would be applied to electric bills.

Aug. 1

the date of the next City Council meeting, when the council will hold its final vote on the franchise fee

Pontieri said she would vote against adopting the franchise fee ordinance if the fee rate cannot be placed on the ballot.

The July 18 meeting is the third time a Palm Coast council has considered a franchise fee.

Most recently, in 2018, the council proposed a franchise fee to help pay for a new public works facility. The initiative failed.

Danko proposed tabling the franchise fee proposal altogether and reviewing other options, but the

motion failed 3-2, with Danko and Heighter voting in favor of tabling.

The budgeting schedule places a time constraint on the franchise fee vote. Proposed ordinances require two votes by the City Council. If the franchise fee agreement is approved, the city must account for that revenue in the 2024 budget, which takes time to adjust and must be finalized by September.

Council member Nick Klufas asked Danko if he had any ideas of where to make cuts. Danko said he did, and listed several, including slashing city jobs and budgets and implementing a hiring freeze for every department, excluding the fire department.

He also suggested allocating $10 million for the pavement management program, rather than the $12 million city staff requested in April.

Klufas said ideas for cutting the budget were great starting points, but the discussion required a group effort, not one person throwing out a thousand different ideas.

“This is an exercise, Councilman Danko, in us trying to come to a joint decision for this budget,” Klufas said. “You’re here grandstanding.”

After the council meeting, Alfin gave the Observer a set of written comments about the tax rate and franchise fee.

He wrote that lowering the millage rate — and thus the burden on property owners — but supporting the franchise fee will help the city diversify revenue streams for a fairer way to maintain city infrastructure.

The fee impacts every FPL customer, across the economic spectrum — from homeowners to renters to businesses, he wrote.

“This levels the playing field for everyone,” he wrote. “Well-structured and fair taxing policies — regardless of their popularity — support and strengthen where we live.”

1 Florida Park Dr. N, Suite 104, Palm Coast, FL 32137 PHONE: 386-447-9723

WEBSITE: www.ObserverLocalNews.com

TO EMAIL US

Email press releases, announcements and Letters to the Editor to: Jonathan Simmons, jonathan@observerlocalnews.com

TO ADVERTISE

Display Advertising: To obtain information, call 386-447-9723 or email advertising@observerlocalnews.com

Classified Advertising / Marketplace: Call 386.447.9723, email redpages@observerlocalnews.com or place your ad online, classifieds@observerlocalnews.com

TO SUBSCRIBE

To subscribe: Please call 386.447.9723 email subscribe@observerlocalnews.com or visit observerlocalnews.com/subscribe

PUBLIC NOTICES

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

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

AUDITOR INFORMATION

Circulation Verification Council

“Well-structured and fair taxing policies — regardless of their popularity — support and strengthen where we live.”

DAVID ALFIN, Palm Coast mayor

“What we're trying to consider here is how do we make ourselves more recession-proof.”

THERESA CARLI PONTIERI, council member

Bubbling with fun

Sancerre senior living’s Back to School Bash provides backpacks, school supplies to over 500 children.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Kids frolicked knee-deep in bubble foam, tumbled through bounce houses and had their faces painted outside the Sancerre at Palm Coast assisted living and memory care facility on July 15.

Sancerre’s Back to School Bash provided over 500 backpacks full of school supplies to Flagler County children.

Resident Experience Director Netta Linn said the residents were excited about the new intergenerational event.

“They love kids,” she said. “When the kids come in, they light up.”

Sancerre residents helped plan and shop for the event and stuff the 500 backpacks, which ran out in the first 40 minutes, said Lisa Blum, memory

care director for Sancerre at Palm Coast.

The Back to School Bash also offered movie-watching, coloring, a Christmas-in-July room featuring Mrs. Claus, and free food from Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s and Five Star Pizza.

The event was the facility’s first with the community, and it was a huge success — for kids, families and residents, Blum said.

“We’re family, and we love everybody,” Blum said. “So when you love someone and you give that kindness back, it’s special.”

Blum said she used to work for the school district, and that experience gave her the idea to host a community event at Sancerre.

Sancerre’s owners and the Palm Coast location’s executive director, Kristen Dalrick, gave her the green light.

Blum, Dalrick and Linn spent two months going door-to-door asking for sponsors and preparing for the Back to School Bash, Blum said.

Even though it was mostly a grassroots, community-based effort

spread by word of mouth, it was “wildly successful,” Dalrick said.

“We’re so grateful that we could give them ... a fun, safe place to pick up their school supplies and feel good about their start for the year,” Dalrick said.

Flagler County schools are back in session for students on Aug. 10.

Though the backpacks ran out quickly, none of the kids left emptyhanded, Dalrick said.

Dalrick said the event showed Sancerre staff just how many families in Flagler County need community events like theirs.

She said Sancerre’s business is about taking care of seniors, but the local children are these seniors’ grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

“Knowing how many families are in need in the county, I think ... certainly this will be an annual event for us,” Dalrick said. “But we don’t want to just do this once a year. We want to really help the families where they need our help.”

Alexia Gordon with her cousins Alani Edwards, 9; Mikayla Laster, 5; Chariti Laster, 8; Tatiana Laster, 11; and Mark Anthony, 9

Keilani Phillips, 4

Chick-fil-A team members Paula Losinger, Gracie Bellows and Travis Hurlbut provided catering for Sancerre’s Back to School Bash.

Keara Banks, 12, (left) and Kimani McCoy, 14, (center) play in the foam with Kimani’s sister, Trystin McCoy, 6. Kaden Cyran, 4, gets his face painted.

The Sancerre team that orchestrated the Back to School Bash: Netta Linn, resident experience director; Kristen Dalrick, executive director; Lisa Blum, memory care director.

Montana Moore poses with her two children, William, 5; and Juliette, 2.

Brianna Garcia holds her son Brantley, 1, and niece Monroe Moreno, 1, as they and Kathryn pose with Mrs. Sunshine Santa Claus, aka Debra Weller.

Photos by Sierra Williams

NewD.R.HortonHomes InPalmCoast!

Sawmill Branch

Express Series homes from the low $300’s*

Tradition Series homes from the low $400’s*

Minutes from nearby shopping, dining and beautiful Palm Coast beaches!

• Thoughtfully designed and energy-efficient

3, 4 & 5 bedroom floorplans ranging from 1,698 – 2,499 square feet

• Home Is Connected® smart home package featuring an industry-leading suite of smart home products

• Highly rated Flagler County schools

Volusia County stormwater fees to rise by 50 cents

THIS YEAR’S MILLAGE

tal increases, the county wouldn’t have to ask for dollar increases now, he said.

JARLEENE ALMENAS SENIOR EDITOR

Stormwater utility fees for unincorporated areas of Volusia County — such as Ormond-by-the-Sea — will rise slightly in the coming fiscal year.

The Volusia County Council unanimously approved a 50-cent increase to the monthly $6 stormwater utility non-ad valorem assessment fee, which had remained the same since 2005, at a July 11 meeting.

County staff initially sought the council’s approval for a $1 per month fee increase for fiscal year 2023-2024, to be followed by another $1 increase in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, but council members thought the proposal — which would have generated almost $760,000 per year — was too steep for taxpayers.

The Volusia County Council has unanimously approved a preliminary property tax rate of 4.8499 mills ($4.8499 per $1,000 in taxable value) for the upcoming fiscal year. The rate is the same as the current rate.

The county is proposing a total budget of approximately $1.4 billion, with the operating budget accounting for about $1.19 billion.

Four property-taxsupported funds will be adopting the rollback rate, according to a county news release: the library fund, the Ponce DeLeon Port Authority, the Municipal Service District and the Silver Sands Bethune Beach MSD. The rollback rate is the rate that would generate the same dollar amount of revenue as the county received in the preceding fiscal year.

Conceptual Resort Style Amenities Coming Soon!

Model Homes Open Daily | 386-800-8752 |

D.R. Horton is an Equal Housing Opportunity Builder. * Home and community information, including pricing, included features, terms, availability and amenities, are subject to change and prior sale at any time without notice or obligation. Pictures, photographs, colors, features, and sizes are for illustration purposes only and will vary from the homes as built. +Square footage dimensions are approximate. Buyer should conduct his or her own investigation of the present and future availability of school districts and school assignments. D.R. Horton has no control or responsibility for any changes to school districts or school assignments should they occur in the future. CBC058997 ©2023 D.R.

Inc. All rights reserved.

See a Doctor Who Specializes in Hearing

NOT a Salesman

can affect your life in many ways.

• Increased dementia risk

• Increased risk of falling

• Decreased likelihood of being able to live independently as you age

Services We Offer

• Hearing testing and hearing aids

• Ear cleanings and wax removal

• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) evaluation & management

• Checking and testing of your current hearing aids to make sure they are properly fit

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

Unhappy with your hearing aids? Call us, we can help!

Call today for a free hearing screening!

*By Appointment Only

The county knows there are significant stormwater problems, County Council Chair Jeff Brower said. But he wondered if the county could use some of the $329 million in hurricane relief funding it is receiving from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to offset some of the operational costs, at least temporarily.

“Everybody up here realizes that stormwater is critically important,” Brower said.

County Manager George Recktenwald said that the $329 million is allocated to the entire county — including its 16 cities.

About $40 million can be used for capital mitigation projects, he said, and the county is assessing those needs.

Recktenwald added that the county could cover the operational shortfall this year, and return next year with a rate study.

“Whatever we don’t deal with this year, we’ll just be dealing with next year,” he said.

Staff brought the fee increase proposal to the council because stormwater fund expenditures are expected to exceed revenues by fiscal year 2025-2026, with a $200,000 shortfall in 2023-2024.

“Anytime you’re looking at raising fees or raising taxes on the public, that is a very serious decision, and as staff, we don’t bring these decisions to the council lightly,” Public Works Director Ben Bartlett said.

The increasing expenditures, he explained, are the result of rising operational

The council will review the final budget and proposed tax rate at a first-reading hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5.

costs, not additional personnel.

County Councilman Troy Kent said the fact the fee has not risen in 18 years places a burden on the current council.

“This is a tax,” Kent said.

“... It hits your poorest in the community the hardest.”

If prior councils had approved small, incremen -

Initially, the council considered a 25-cent increase instead of a 50-cent increase, but county staff said that while a 25-cent increase would bridge the gap for this fiscal year, it wouldn’t be enough in future years.

“That gap is concerning as it increased,” Bartlett said. “... We have experienced record inflation in the last three years. That’s something that wasn’t anticipated and has probably hastened this discussion.”

Horton,

I-95 US-1 SAWMILL BRANCH Matanzas Woods Pkwy

PALM COAST

Located off US-1 at Matanzas Woods Pkwy in Palm Coast 4 Summerwood Rd. S. Palm Coast, FL 32137

drhorton.com/nfl

County staff initially proposed a $1 rate hike, but council members thought that was too steep.

Flagler Beach chooses new city manager

interview. “You’re expected to jump in and pick up where the last city manager left off.”

He said he would be able to start within a month, at the latest.

he was the city manager of Fernandina Beach for the last seven years.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

The Flagler Beach City Commission has chosen former Fernandina Beach city manager Dale Martin as Flagler Beach’s new city manager.

The City Commission voted unanimously for Martin after interviewing the four final candidates on July 14.

Martin said that coming into the position, he would rely on the professionalism and experience of the city’s department directors.

“There’s no spring training for city management,” Martin said during the public

The commission held public interviews July 14 in the City Commission chambers before commissioners picked their top two candidates.

All of the commissioners picked Martin as their first choice and James Gleason, of Littleton, Massachusetts, as their second choice, should negotiations with Martin fall through.

Interim City Manager Mike Abels, who was hired in February, said that as a condition of his hiring, he could only stay on until September.

Martin, a U.S. Army veteran from Michigan, has 25 years of local government experience. Most recently,

Commission OKs 39-unit apartment complex

Martin’s term in Fernandina Beach ended in March after he was terminated in February in a 3-2 vote, according to a news article from the News-Leader in Fernandina Beach.

Martin said his most significant accomplishment was helping to reconstruct Fernandina Beach’s marina after Hurricane Matthew destroyed it in 2016.

Several residents who attended the public interviews said during public comment periods that Martin was the best fit for the community.

“I think Dale is a great choice,” Flagler Beach resident Paul Chestnut said. “And I think you’re going to hit on a home run.”

Commission Chair Eric

of 14.5, and would sit between several single-family homes and a retention pond.

A PVC and screened fence would separate it from the houses, while another fence would separate it from the pond.

Leslie Street will be the main entrance. A secondary entrance will be available on Joyce Street, but will primarily be used for emergency access.

Cooley said participating in choosing a city manager is almost more important for the public than electing commissioners.

“These seats change often,” Cooley said. “But that seat should not change often.”

Several commissioners asked how Martin would handle multi-tasking multiple large projects immediately.

Martin said the city’s stormwater management would be one of the biggest challenges, alongside maintaining the city’s character and quality of life as it grows.

He said prioritizing projects is key to being a city manager. He likened juggling a city’s many projects to being a plate spinner in the circus.

“That’s my job,” he said. “To keep the plates from falling.”

deck at one end of the pond for fishing and potential kayaking, and a sidewalk around the building for walking and bike riding, with benches.

Cooley and Commissioner Jane Mealy both expressed concerns about whether the recreation area would meet the definitions of active and passive recreation amenities.

Torino said a sidewalk can be multipurpose.

A proposal to build two apartment buildings near the intersection of State Road 100 and Anderson Highway won the Flagler Beach City Commission’s approval in a 4-1 vote on July 12.

Commission Chair Eric Cooley voted against the proposal.

The future apartment complex will sit on a 3.16-acre parcel between Joyce Street and Leslie Street, southwest

of the S.R. 100 and Anderson Highway intersection. Cooley thought the 39-unit apartment complex could generate too much traffic on Leslie Street. He was also unimpressed with the complex’s proposed recreation

Paid Advertorial

spaces. For example, he said, the walkways are really just sidewalks to access the buildings.

“My concern is we’re calling something an ‘active and passive recreation area’ that, in my opinion, does not meet

BETTER BACK TOGETHER

Family Reunification In

Our Community Daytona Beach, Fla. - There is a widespread myth that the child welfare system wants to separate children from their families. But the reality is that everyone involved works very hard to reunify families so they can live safely and happily together.

The non-profit organization Community Partnership for Children (CPC) leads the local child welfare system. Together with a network of community partners, CPC provides a comprehensive system of care for abused and neglected children in Flagler, Putnam, and Volusia Counties. CPC always strives to prevent abuse and neglect before they start. The organization employs prevention programs that connect at-risk families with the local resources they need to thrive. Strengthening families in this way allows children to avoid entering the formal foster care system.

When prevention is not possible, children are removed for their own safety following a judicial hearing. In these cases, the children are placed temporarily with relatives, kinship caregivers, or foster parents. The youth receive love, care, and services while their parents follow a case plan approved by the court.

The family’s case plan includes a variety of components designed to address the underlying factors that led to their children’s removal. CPC and its partners work closely with the parent to help them through the process. Meanwhile, the court continues to monitor the case, including a judicial review every six months.

“Compassion for those parents who have had their children removed is critical,” said Karin Flositz, CEO of Community

Partnership for Children. “Many people face great personal struggles like addiction or generational violence and deserve an opportunity to be supported and receive the help they need to overcome the challenges they have experienced.”

After the parents complete the case plan, the happy day arrives when children and families are reunified. Over 6,700 Florida children have been reunified with their families this past year. The final reunification represents a victory won by child welfare professionals, service providers, the judiciary, guardians ad litem, foster parents - and of course, the biological parents themselves.

There are many ways that everyone in our community can help strengthen families, from donating to abuse prevention efforts, to volunteering with CPC, to becoming a foster parent. More information is available at CommunityPartnershipforChildren. org.

communitypartnershipforchildren.org

(386) 238-4900

135 Executive Circle, 2nd Floor, Daytona Beach, FL 32114

the definition,” Cooley said. The proposed site plan consists of two buildings — one with 27 apartment units, and the other with 12 — and 79 parking spaces. It has 12.3 units per acre, which is below the city’s cap

Cooley said he would like to see Joyce Street paved to reduce traffic on Leslie Street. The developer is not planning to pave the road, but has agreed to help stabilize it as an access road.

City planner Larry Torino said the applicant has addressed every concern that city staff members have raised, including adding a second fire hydrant.

The development includes a

“You’re providing the potential for active recreation,” Torino said. “That’s the intention.”

Mayor Suzie Johnston suggested adjusting the sidewalk design to make its recreational purpose more explicit — for instance, by adding an area for hopscotch.

The commission approved the plan on the condition that the developer make the recreation areas more defined.

Photo by Sierra Williams

Dave Martin, the former city manager of Fernandina Beach, was unanimously selected as Flagler Beach’s next city manager.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

City Commission selects former Fernandina Beach city manager Dale Martin.

Flagler Beach City Commission approves two-building complex in 4-1 vote.

Photo by Sierra Williams

The new Flagler Beach City Commission has been organized, with Commissioner Eric Cooley now serving as chair.

COPS CORNER

Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the home in Palm Coast’s B-section when a property controller reported the damage.

The building was filled with about an inch of water, according to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies identified the boy, who lives on a street near the vandalized home, through an anonymous tip, the press release said.

When they interviewed him, the boy admitted that he had flooded the toilets because he was bored.

He is charged with felony criminal mischief, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and trespassing on a construction site.

ON THE DEFENSE

around aggressively,” and the store clerk thought he was trying to strike her, so she sprayed him with pepper spray, she told police.

Police found the man lying on the ground in a nearby parking lot.

He was detained and treated for pepper spray exposure before being taken to the hospital, then to jail.

The store clerk retrieved the wine bottle and told police she wanted to pursue charges for the theft and assault, according to the police report.

JULY 13

BOLTED

reported as stolen later on June 7, after it was impounded.

The deputies allowed the tow truck driver to leave with the car.

JULY 12

IDLE HANDS

8:30 a.m. — 100 block of Bud Hollow Drive, Palm Coast Criminal mischief. A 13-yearold boy was arrested for felony criminal mischief after he clogged the toilets of an under-construction home and flooded it, causing $25,000 in damage, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

6:07 p.m. — 1400 block of West Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach Petit theft. Police arrested a 52-year-old DeBary man who, while attempting to steal a bottle of wine, was peppersprayed by the liquor store clerk.

The clerk told police that the man had come into the store earlier that day and tried to steal a bottle of vodka, according to a police report.

During the later incident, after the man walked out of the store with the wine, she followed him to try to get the wine back.

But the man “turned

12:05 p.m. — First block of North Yonge Street, Ormond Beach Vandalism. A trailer park property manager called police after she noticed that a deadbolt on one of the trailers had been damaged.

The property manager told police that one of the trailer’s windows had also been broken by a piece of coral rock, according to a police report. None of the nearby residents saw anything or anyone suspicious near the trailer.

The property manager said the park had had a dispute with a former renter, but that she didn’t have proof that he’d caused the damage. She said she wanted to pursue charges if a suspect is identified.

BRIEFS

Weekend rains cause washout on shoulder of State Road A1A

Weekend rain has washed out an over-25-foot-wide section of sand along the eastern shoulder of State Road A1A in Flagler Beach.

The washout occurred in the 3500 block at around 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 16. Construction crews were able to fix the washout by 3 p.m. Monday, July 17 and reopen the road.

Traffic on both lanes of A1A was diverted to Clubhouse Drive until the roadway was repaired, according to a Facebook post from the Flagler Beach Police Department.

FBPD immediately contacted the Florida Department of Transportation on July 16, which sent contractor Louis Berger and crews from Cline Construction to begin repairing the roadway.

FBPD Chief Matthew Doughney said Cline Construction had begun work at 8:30 a.m. on July 17 to reopen the roadway by Monday afternoon.

“This has really been a team effort,” he said. “There’s a lot that goes into getting these things done.”

Doughney said the “extremely heavy” rain caused the collapse.

The FBPD has also been coordinating with the Flagler Turtle Patrol. There are a few turtle nests near the washout site, Doughney said, but so far, none appeared damaged.

Semitrailer crash closes northbound Interstate 95

A semitrailer crashed into a disabled car on Interstate 95 and jackknifed the morning of July 13, shutting down all northbound lanes from Palm Coast Parkway to Matanzas Woods Parkway.

Southbound I-95 was still moving, but with one lane closed. No one was injured, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred at about 5:02 a.m., and lane closures lasted into the afternoon.

A southbound sedan had been stopped in the southbound lanes after the 19-year-old driver lost control of the car and struck the center guardrail, then veered back into the roadway near mile marker 292, according to a news release from the FHP.

The driver and his passenger, a 46-year-old man, got out of the car and stood on the shoulder.

Soon after, a 59-year-old Port St. Lucie man driving south in a tandem semitrailer didn’t see the disabled car and struck it.

The truck pushed the sedan onto the shoulder and into the tree line, then struck the guardrail and jackknifed across all three northbound lanes.

The truck was carrying a small amount of sodium nitrate and an acid-based chemical, and spilled several gallons onto the road, according to the Palm Coast Fire

CRIME REPORT

Man charged in fatal US 1 crash

A Palm Coast man was arrested on a DUI manslaughter charge July 14 in connection with a fatal car crash last December.

The Florida Highway Patrol has been investigating the crash over the last eight months.

A judge issued a warrant for the arrest of 64-year-old suspect Joseph Siano on July 13.

Siano’s blood alcohol content

after the crash was almost three times the legal limit, according to his arrest report.

The crash happened at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 16. Siano was driving a pickup truck north in the southbound lanes on U.S. 1 and collided head-on with a Chevrolet Malibu just north of Whiteview Parkway.

The Malibu driver died at the scene crash site while Siano was taken to Halifax Medical Center with incapacitating injuries, the report said.

Department. The spill was not hazardous to the public, and the St. Johns County Fire Rescue Hazmat Team helped mitigating it, according to the Fire Department.

Marine habitat master naturalist training offered

Environmental enthusiasts can earn a certificate in Marine Habitat Restoration by taking a 24-hour course offered by Volusia County Environmental Management, UF/ IFAS Extension Volusia County and the Marine Discovery Center.

The course, which is part of the Master Naturalist Program, will focus on restoration of seagrass, artificial reefs, corals and sponges, according to a news release.

The non-degree, hybrid Marine Habitat Restoration program was developed by the University of Florida.

It will run from July 31 through Aug. 11 and includes a trip to the Florida Keys.

Through online, classroom, field trip and practical experience, participants will learn about Florida’s natural marine habitats and ways to restore them.

The $200 course fee covers educational materials, field trips and classroom sessions.

There will be an additional $125plus accommodation fee for the Florida Keys portion. Participants completing the course will receive a certificate,

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper took a statement and two blood samples from Siano at the hospital. Siano told the trooper that he did not remember anything from the crash and had not consumed any alcohol. The results from the blood tests came back on Feb. 28 and showed that Siano had a blood alcohol content of 0.219.

Children found after abduction by father

Two young children abducted in Flagler County on July 14 were found

patch, and pin denoting their expertise in marine habitat restoration.

The registration deadline is July 20. Class size is limited to 20.

Registration can be completed online at conference.ifas.ufl.edu/ fmnp/MR23-03hybrid.html.

The website includes a secure page for participants who want to pay with a credit card.

For more information, contact Environmental Specialist Trey Hannah at thannah@volusia.org.

For information on the Florida Master Naturalist Program, go to masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/ become-a-master-naturalist.

Dune work at Jungle Hut Park to limit beach access

Beginning July 17, beach access at Jungle Hut Park will be limited for about two weeks due to emergency dune work at Old Salt Park.

The contractor working at Old Salt Park, on 16th Road in the Hammock, will be using Jungle Hut Park as a beach access point.

The work is part of the first segment of the FEMA emergency dune project, according to a press release from the county government.

Jungle Hut Park will remain open to the public, but beachgoers are asked to be alert and take caution — especially families with young children and pets, the press release said.

County Engineer Faith Alkhatib said there will be around 20 dump trucks per day operating out of the

west of Jacksonville by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office deputies and the Florida Highway Patrol.

The children — a 3-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy — were abducted from their home in the Z-section of Palm Coast at around 2 p.m.

The children’s biological father abducted them, placing them in a minivan with Indiana plates and driving off, according to a press release from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.

The FCSO issued a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) advisory for the grey Toyota Sienna just after 3 p.m., noting that the children had been

park. Sand deliveries will occur from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday during the two weeks of construction, Alkhatib said.

Auditorium becomes Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center

The Flagler Auditorium is now The Fitzgerald Center for the Performing Arts.

The performing arts center unveiled its new logo across its social media accounts on July 11.

The rebranding signifies a fresh chapter for the auditorium and highlights its commitment to remain a cultural hub providing exceptional entertainment, according to a post on the performing arts center’s Facebook page.

The Flagler Auditorium was named The Flagler Auditorium Dennis Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center more than 10 years ago, when the Flagler County School Board dedicated the auditorium to Dennis Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald served on the School Board for eight years and was committed to advancing music and performing arts education programs, according to the performing arts center’s Facebook post.

The rebranding includes a new logo to embody the performing arts center’s “vibrant energy and dedication to artistic excellence,” the Facebook post said.

taken by a family member who did not have legal authority to take them.

FHP and JSO law enforcement officers found the children just before 4 p.m. on Interstate 10 near mile marker 346 and arrested the father. The children were unharmed.

The father has been charged with two counts of kidnapping a minor under 13 and is being held in the Duval County jail on no bond pending a transfer to Flagler County’s jail.

The father said he traveled to Flagler County in order to abduct the children, the press release said.

Development, real estate + business news

AdventHealth trains yoga teachers to offer classes for cancer patients

created the foundation in Jacksonville in 2010.

ALEXIS MILLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When yoga instructor Christina Phipps was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, she found that yoga helped her with her chemotherapy. She soon began teaching classes to try to help other cancer patients, and after she died in June 2010, her family continued her mission, helping other yoga instructors learn to teach yoga to cancer patients. On July 8, AdventHealth Daytona Beach hosted an oncology yoga training class with the Christina Phipps Foundation, certifying 15 yoga instructors.

Ben Phipps, Christina’s father,

“After she had her first PET scan after her treatment, and it came back clean, she offered her first class free to yoga students,” said Jarrett Phipps, president of the foundation and Christina Phipps’ sister. “While my father came up with the idea of the foundation, he totally took this idea from what Christina was already doing.”

Research shows that yoga “can help reduce stress and fatigue, and improve flexibility, circulation, strength, breathing, sleep, mood, balance, and overall well-being,” according to a news release from AdventHealth.

“From an AdventHealth initiative, we go at it from a team approach — so you have medical oncology, surgery, radiation, but we also look at the yoga team as part of our team,” said Jody Sullivan, director of radiation oncology at AdventHealth Daytona Beach and AdventHealth Palm

Coast. “We look at it as part of the journey the patients go through, and at them [yoga instructors] as a helping hand.”

The yoga classes offer modifications for every pose and stretch to make sure cancer patients do not stress their bodies. The classes are offered in person and on Zoom.

“When someone goes through cancer treatments, and they experience fatigue, or they have pain or mobility issues, yoga helps restore that or maintain the function they already have,” said Andria Roberts, a cancer care navigator at AdventHealth Daytona Beach. “It can also help them calm any anxiety or depression.”

Kim Friedman, a member of the Christina Phipps Foundation board and a yoga teacher at AdventHealth, said instructors aim to help bring a “body awareness” to the students.

“If yoga can bring body awareness to them, which we try to focus on, hopefully they’re in touch with their

bodies enough so when the body is speaking to them about a pain that is not going away, that they don’t ignore it anymore,” she said.

During the July 8 training class at AdventHealth Daytona Beach, AdventHealth physical therapists and certified lymphedema therapists

Melanie Muller and Maria Dulay spoke to the upcoming instructors about oncology, treatment and things to look for in their patients.

“We see them initially, then when they’re finished with us, they know how to manage their diagnosis for the rest of their life, and they can continue with yoga classes to help that,” Muller said.

Dulay said that yoga can help prevent secondary complications like stiffness and limited range of motion.

LuAnn Henry became a certified yoga instructor in 2017, but has been doing yoga her whole life. At the recent training event, she earned her certification for oncology yoga treatment.

“Being able to connect with their [patients’] spiritual side will help them mentally,” she said.

“I want to help,” she said.

Michele Jain has had her yoga certification since 2001 and began teaching at AdventHealth in 2016.

“Doing these classes is kind of a way of me giving back,” Jain said.

“I know the benefits of yoga classes for people undergoing cancer treatments pre-, post- and during. I know that yoga has been helpful to everyone I have taught.”

Sherrill Crotts, one of Jain’s current students, has been doing yoga at AdventHealth since 2017.

She did yoga before her cancer diagnosis but began participating in AdventHealth’s yoga classes during treatment.

“When I walked in the room with all of these people that are in the same place I am, it just felt so good to be around people that understood,” Crotts said.

She said yoga helped her body and spirit, and helped her find camaraderie with other patients.

“It would be entirely their choice, but I encourage everyone to at least try it, because it really does help,” Crotts said.

The classes are held at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays at AdventHealth Palm Coast and at 9:30 a.m. on Thursdays at AdventHealth Daytona Beach. There is also a class at 7 p.m. Thursdays held via Zoom.

The classes are held weekly at both AdventHealth Daytona Beach and AdventHealth Palm Coast.

Michele Jain and her yoga class students on July 11

Fifteen yoga teachers participated in the oncology yoga training class.

Photo by Alexis Miller

Soraya Mediterranean Cafe opens in Ormond Beach

New restaurant offers Turkish coffee, tea and pastries.

ALEXIS MILLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The new Soraya Mediterranean Cafe at 156 E. Granada Blvd. brings Turkish culture to Ormond Beach.

“We want to be a little more traditional and closer to our culture through our menu,” said Ayten Hooper, who opened the cafe with Fay Sarshory.

The cafe celebrated its grand opening on June 25, when Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington and Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Debbie Cotton surprised the owners with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“The experience when you walk into the building itself is just a warm, comforting feeling, and you kind of get to experience another world in there, between the coffees and teas they serve and the decor they chose, which I know was their goal going into this,” Cotton said.

Sarshory and Hooper specialize in Turkish coffees and pastries, such as baklava and simits.

The cafe offers a collection of jasmine herbal teas as well as soups and salads. Most of the menu is vegan

estate broker and owner of Florida Property Experts for the past 20 years, and will continue to run her business in addition to Soraya. Hooper has been in the restaurant business for several years and has owned other restaurants. Sarshory said she has always looked for coffee shops that are cozy

“I’m a world traveler and when I travel, the first thing I check out are the coffee shops, so this has

BRIEFS

FHP and FDOT announce ‘Operation Southern Slow Down’

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida Highway Patrol and Florida Department of Transportation are taking part in a multistate speed enforcement campaign that began July 17. The campaign, called “Operation Southern Slow Down,” is held in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the states of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, according to a press release from FDOT.

FHP will focus on detecting and citing drivers for speeding on Florida’s interstates. Speeding contributed to 10.5 % of all crash fatalities statewide in 2022, resulting in more than 368 deaths, according to the press release.

been years of inspiration of my traveling bringing this together,” Sarshory said.

The cafe’s dishes and cups come from different countries. The name Soraya, Sarshory said, means “cluster of stars,” and was also inspired by Queen Soraya, the second wife of the last shah of Iran. Her photo is displayed in the shop.

“I just wanted to be the new location where people feel comfortable to meet their friends here, have private parties here, or work from here,” Sarshory said. “I want a place people would be proud of.”

The cafe is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

It hosts private events such as meetings and wine nights after closing hours.

A sitting area inside Soraya.

Homemade baklava

The main lobby of Soraya

Soraya also offers Mediterranean protein bowls with homemade tzatziki dressing.

Soraya offers baklavas.

Photos by Alexis Miller

Courtesy photo

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and its division of the Florida Highway Patrol, in collaboration with the Florida Department of Transportation, announced the kick-off of “Operation Southern Slow Down.”

Flagler considers new pavement program

The county would need to implement a new half-cent sales tax or dedicate some property tax money to fund the initiative.

Proposed repaving and resurfacing of Flagler County roadways could cost the county government $5.6 million in 2024.

A county staff-proposed Pavement Management Plan would repave 5.32 miles a year and resurface a road every 12-15 years at an average annual cost of $2.6 million, staff members told Flagler County commissioners at a July 17 workshop. The county’s share of the cost for Florida Department of Transportation projects in Flagler County would add millions more in 2024, bringing the 2024 total to $5.6 million.

To cover the $5.6 million, the commission could either dedicate four tenths of a mill from ad valorem taxes to the program or implement a halfcent discretionary sales tax.

As a small county, Flagler County is eligible to levy up to a 1% small county surtax. The county currently levies a half cent and is the only eligible county that does not levy the full 1% sales tax, County Administrator Heidi Petito said.

The sales tax would generate $9.7 million, but the revenue must be split among the county’s municipalities: Only $4.4 million would go to the county government.

Petito said that although the sales

tax would generate less funding, the cost would be divided between residents and visitors, lessening the burden on property owners.

“There is a cost to delaying maintenance,” she said. “If you don’t have … some sort of a maintenance schedule and plan, you’re going to just be redoing roads.”

Commissioners directed staff to reach out to the county’s municipalities first.

Commissioner David Sullivan said similar initiatives received negative feedback in the past, so the county needs the support of local municipalities before implementing the tax or millage allocation.

“The problem to me is a publicity problem and a marketing problem,” Sullivan said. “I would like to see, if we’re going forward with this … that we have some support from Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell.”

Commissioner Donald O’Brien agreed.

“Politically, they don’t have any risk,” O’Brien said. “We have the risk.”

Road and Bridge Manager Ryan Prevatt said regular repaving would fix roads before they need total reconstruction, which costs three to five times as much as resurfacing.

“It’s about applying the right treatment, to the right road, at the right time,” Prevatt said. “There’s only been numerous benefits.”

Prevatt said the program would primarily use the asphalt mill and overlay method, which requires grinding down the top layer of asphalt, then placing a new layer to extend the life of the road.

Mill and overlay is the most expensive maintenance strategy, he said, but also provides longer road life between resurfaces and the highest return on investment.

The program would resurface roads that rate “good” or “fair” in road maintenance evaluations, Prevatt said.

An in-house Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating — or PASER — survey rated 137 of the county’s 188 lane miles as good, very good or excellent.

BY THE NUMBERS

$2.6

million would cover the average annual cost of the proposed Pavement Management Plan $5.6 million would cover the cost of the pavement plan and the county’s share of the cost for local FDOT initiatives in 2024

Four-tenths of a mill of ad valorem taxes would generate the needed $5.6 million

$4.4 million in revenue would come to the county government if the county implements a new halfcent sales tax

The ones that rate lower than “fair,” Prevatt said, need more expensive reconstruction that can be done by FDOT programs.

The county’s public works program is funded primarily through a gas tax that generates $2.5 million per year, but all of that money goes to day-to-day maintenance work, Petito said.

FDOT offers programs that cover resurfacing, but they have restrictions based on the nature of the project, the year the program was built and the county’s population size.

“As we continue to transition from a small county to a mediumsized county, we need to develop a plan while we still qualify for smallcounty funding,” Petito said.

Even state or federal grants, Petito said, require some form of funding match, and a sales tax or dedicated mill allocation would help pay for those as well.

“These are all the different challenges that we have,” Petito said. “Not just as Flagler County as it is today, but even moving forward, because we don’t have a dedicated source of revenue for our roads.”

Flagler County begins Comprehensive Plan update

The process will include public workshops and outreach and last from July 2023 to November 2024.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Local officials may enact new policies on workforce housing, coastal development and transportation connectivity as they update Flagler County’s Comprehensive Plan this year. The Flagler County Commission and Flagler County Planning and Development Board held a joint workshop July 17 to meet with Inspire Placemaking Collective, the planning and design firm that will direct the full Comprehensive Plan update alongside county staff. Since communities and counties change over time, so do a community’s needs, said Inspire project manager Chris Dougherty.

“That’s why it’s important to look at your plan every five, 10 years to make some tweaks and address the community’s desires,” Dougherty said.

A comprehensive plan is a guideline that helps define how a community will look in the future, Dougherty said. State law requires all Florida communities to have one and update it every seven years.

Commissioners and Planning Board members suggested the firm investigate:

„ Developing plans or priorities to build workforce housing

„ Reviewing policies for coastal high-hazard flood areas and development impact

„ Inventorying old development agreements

„ Addressing growth and traffic on major roads like State Road 100 and Palm Coast Parkway

„ Studying the possibility of adding a third access point from the mainland to the barrier island

„ Improving transportation connectivity within the county.

Commission Chair Greg Hansen, among other commissioners and board members, emphasized the importance of protecting the county’s open spaces and ecosystems.

“We’re trying to create a historical preservation corridor,” Hansen said. “I don’t think we can do enough.”

The Comprehensive Plan update will take just over a year. Inspire began its work on July 16, Dougherty said, and will continue through November 2024, when the updated Comprehensive Plan is adopted. The project will occur in three phases. The first will involve data analysis and outreach.

Planning and Development Chairman Fernando Melendez said the firm and county need to push for members of the public to get involved.

“It’s important that we reflect their efforts and what they think we need to implement in our comprehensive plan,” Melendez said.

The firm will host three public workshops throughout the county, with the first scheduled for sometime in August, and the second in January.

It will also host two additional joint workshops with Flagler County commissioners and Planning and Development Board members.

Synopsis of Barefoot In The Park

Corie and Paul Bratter are a pair of newlyweds and their first home is an apartment in New York City. Corie is a light-hearted person who is very optimistic about their future. Paul, however, is more grounded and anxious about things like the state of the apartment, the hole in the skylight, the leaky closet and the lack of a bathtub.

Shortly after moving in, Corie tries to ‘set up’ her Mother with their eccentric neighbor Mr. Velasco. Over the course of four days, Paul and Corie learn to live together while dealing with the daily ‘ups and downs’ - during which time, Corie tries to get Paul to be more easy-going and run “barefoot in the park”

Thursday,

Friday, August

Saturday, August

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

“It’s important that we reflect their efforts and what they think we need to implement in our comprehensive plan.”

FERNANDO MELENDEZ, Planning and Development chairman

“Politically, they don’t have any risk. We have the risk.”

DONALD O’BRIEN, county commissioner

LETTERS

Council should focus on current Palm Coast, not expansion

Dear Editor:

“Nothing is certain in life but death and taxes” (and fees). The Palm Coast City Council is poised to continue charging us all more for the privilege (or whatever) of living here.

They already know, and we should, that the situation of increasing taxes and/or fees will continue indefinitely, unless we stop it.

Right now, the mayor and council have this grand dream of a new Palm Coast doubled in size with the addition of their planned new developments west of U.S. 1. This would be their forever legacy.

But perhaps that legacy would be tainted by the ongoing deterioration of the old and gray and uninteresting current Palm Coast. Traffic jams, huge trucks tearing up the roads, dangerous streets without sidewalks, every stitch of greenery torn away, drainage and flooding concerns, etc., etc.

They need to hold back the devel-

REGISTRATION OPENS FOR CHABAD HEBREW SCHOOL

Chabad Hebrew School is now accepting new students for the 2023/2024 academic year.

The Chabad Hebrew School (CHS) is an interactive, hands-on Hebrew Sunday school that offers children ages 5-12 the opportunity to explore their heritage in an engaging and exciting manner, according to a press release.

“Chabad Hebrew School brings Judaism to life!” Educational Director Tzivie Ezagui said. “Our curriculum is designed to inspire your child with a love for our traditions.”

Each lesson incorporates handson activities. Students will learn about Jewish practices, history, culture and Hebrew reading and language skills.

The Aleph Champ Hebrew reading curriculum is modeled after the karate system, with students advancing through a range of colorcoded levels, according to the press release.

“Our warm and loving staff create a comfortable and friendly environment where your child will thrive,” Ezagui said, according to the press

PETS UP FOR ADOPTION

The Flagler Humane Society, at 1 Shelter Drive off U.S. 1 in Palm Coast, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Adoption fees vary based on the animal, and the shelter has both dogs and cats up for adoption.

Anyone who is interested in adopting or has questions about the process can contact the Flagler Humane Society at 386-445-1814 or apply online at flaglerhumanesociety.org.

opers and their city staff pals from forgetting the “old” Palm Coast and only looking to the wonderful new city they say is ahead of us.

Well, I say to hold off on this brave new world for at least two years and focus all the time, money and staff on getting the city that is here and now up to par. Streets and drainage repaired, sidewalks where necessary, a touch of the natural Florida in all neighborhoods, parks, and more.

It’s a lengthy list of our needs, but one that should be met prior to any of their grand dreams. Otherwise, it’s a nightmare.

JEFFERY C. SEIB Palm Coast

Hammock ecotourism should be part of Flagler Beach discussion

Dear Editor:

Your article about the meeting between Flagler Beach and Flagler County officials regarding the overcrowding in Flagler Beach surprised me, because no one on either side mentioned the topic of ecotourism in the Hammock, which is a heavily wooded barrier island in Flagler

County. The Hammock Community Association and the A1A Scenic Byway have made a video, available on the Flagler Tourism website, about all the wonderful eco-friendly activities available in the Hammock: walking, biking, kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, bird watching and other ways to commune with nature.

Both the Turtle Hospital and Marineland have summer programs for children about marine life. As well, visitors are welcome at the Turtle Hospital, where there are both pre- and post-operation turtles.

There are the Malacompra Trails, miles of bicycle paths starting across from Bing’s Landing and A1A and returning there. These trails include a special area of mountain biking trails with features that range for simple to very difficult.

Princess Place Preserve, a 2,000acre sanctuary, has five beautiful eco-cabins (one handicappedaccessible) with a front porch with rocking chairs facing the water. There is also a trail for people using wheelchairs or walkers. A large area of camping space with hot showers and bathrooms is available. Fishing opportunities are excellent at

Princess Place. Washington Oaks State Park, a gorgeous garden-like setting, has walking paths and lovely vegetation, as well as preserving the national habitat of a Northeastern Florida barrier island.

Bing’s Landing, a Flagler County Park, has a kayak launch and is a great place to paddleboard. Commissioner Hanson has previously stated that as use of Bings Landing grows, if extra rental serves are needed, the County can look for concessioners.

There are three beautiful public beaches: Varn Park (which has changing rooms and bathrooms); Bay Park Drive (observation platform, restrooms, beach access ramps, bocce ball court and a fishing dock) and Old Salt Park, with parking spaces at the end of 16th Road.

Except for Washington Oaks State Park ($5 dollars per vehicle) and Marineland, all the facilities named are free to visit.

DR. LYNNE BRAVO ROSEWATER

Palm Coast Editor’s note: Rosewater is the long-range planning chair of the Hammock Community Association.

FOOD-A-THON RAISES $100,000 FOR FAMILIES

Flagler Broadcasting’s Million Dollar Food-a-Thon received just over $100,000 in donations this year, half of its $200,000 goal.

The Food-a-Thon, a joint fundraiser by Flagler Radio and the Grace Community Pantry, occurred July 14.

ObserverLocalNews.com

PALM COAST

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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

Circulation Coordinator, Draven Owens, dowens@observerlocalnews.com

SUBSCRIBE

The Palm Coast & Ormond Beach

Observers are published every Thursday. To subscribe for driveway delivery, visit www.observerlocalnews.com/subscribe, call 386-447-9723, or email subscribe@ observerlocalnews.com.

TO ADVERTISE

Call the office at 386-447-9723.

Locally Owned / Publishers of The Palm Coast Observer Palm Coast Observer, LLC P.O. Box 353850 Palm Coast, 32135

Disabled American Veterans held its first graduation for the Guitars for Vets Palm Coast program on July 11.

Two students, Steve Bridges and Charles Nazworth, graduated from the program, according to a press release.

The program began in May, and both students took 10 lessons and received a guitar and accessory package upon completion, so they

release. “Small classes provide a personalized experience for each and every student.”

Classes are held from 10 a.m. to noon on Sundays.

Chabad invites all Jewish children, regardless of background or affiliation. Membership is not a requirement, and no family will be turned away for lack of funds.

For more information, contact the Chabad Jewish Center at 386-2254941 or info@chabadpalmcoast. com. Register at chabadpalmcoast. com/hebrewschool.

can continue their studies.

Guitars for Vets is a nationwide program that aims to help reduce the veteran suicide rate through the mental health benefits of music.

Earl Presley is the coordinator/ instructor. Two more instructors are starting this month. Lessons are available. Contact Presley at earl. presley@yahoo.com.

In 2022, the all-day fundraiser generated $125,000 in donations.

David Ayres, president of Flagler Broadcasting, said the Food-a-Thon received 300 donations this year — more than last year, even though the donation total was lower.

Ayres said the $100,000 can purchase $500,000 in food: The food pantry has connections to suppliers and receives $5 worth of food for every $1 donated.

VETERAN OF THE WEEK

Joseph Holt

 Branch of military: U.S. Marine Corps  Dates of service: 1995-2002  Rank/occupation: Sergeant/Aircraft Electrical Systems Technician and Military Corrections Officer  Hometown: San Diego, California Joseph Holt enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 17. He served in Okinawa, Japan and South Korea. For his honorable service, Holt received the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and a Meritorious Unit Commendation. He has written 11 books, including “Your Brain is the Key to the Universe.” Having lived in Hawaii, and due to his laid back personality, he is known to friends as “Aloha Joe.” Holt has two sons and two granddaughters. He lives in Palm Coast and is the historian for American Legion Post 115, Assistant Quartermaster to Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8696 and Secretary of the VFW Riders. Holt is a Life Member of the DAV and VFW.

Paddy is a 5-year-old male terrier mix weighing around 80 pounds. Cerulean is a 3-year-old female shorthair mix.

Gator is a 5-year-old male Catahoula Leopard dog weighing around 70 pounds.

Earl Presley, Steve Bridges, Charles Nazworth and Bill May.

Photo by Brian McMillan

AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway President Wally De Aquino signs the check for $10,000, from the hospital’s employees, with Eddie Goncalves and John Subers.

Courtesy photo

DAV HOLDS GUITARS FOR VETS GRADUATION

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Wheel dreams

MICHELE MEYERS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Kelly Jones and Austin BuchwaldArnett met on a podium in March 2021 at the Graham Swamp 360 sixhour mountain bike race.

They were on different teams, but each won the award for having the fastest lap for a female and male rider, respectively. One month later, they met to ride the Grapefruit Bike Trails in Palm Bay, and one month after that, they were in Bentonville, Arkansas, racing in the Rule of Three — 20 miles of single track, 50 miles of gravel biking and 20 miles on the road.

“Within two months, we got on a plane together and went to Bentonville,” Jones said. “I guess that’s probably what really solidified the official start of the relationship.”

Next month, they will fly to Switzerland to compete as a team in the SPAR Swiss Epic — a grueling fiveday, five-stage mountain bike race through the Swiss Alps. The race is part of the Epic Global Mountain Bike series.

“I’m excited for the race,” Jones said. “I am so excited to go to Switzerland. This was like a dream destination. Absolutely, absolutely dream. Then I think we have three days, after the race finishes, to do a little bit of sightseeing.”

Buchwald-Arnett said biking has fed his passion for travel.

“That’s a great thing about the bike too,” he said. “So many destinations that you wouldn’t think that you would go to, and then the bike brings you there. The cherry on top is you get to explore by bike, which not many people get to do. ... Exploring by bike is one of my favorite things in the world, because you can cover so much more ground than hiking.”

The couple got an early entry into the race after Jones raced Cape Epic, the Untamed African MTB Stage Race held in South Africa. It was an eight-day, 402-mile race with a climb of 50,777 feet. Three days into the race, Jones was put on an IV and

pulled from the event, following her teammate, who had an early exit on day one.

Even though the race did not go well, Jones reached out to the Swedish company USWE to ask if the company would be interested in collaborating. USWE sells bounce-free hydration packs and recently came out with a line of performance clothing.

Jones offered to provide social media content in exchange for the company’s support getting the couple to the race, and the race itself. The company agreed to sponsor them. The alliance made the Switzerland trip possible, covering the $4,000 entry fee and two roundtrip tickets to Switzerland.

The two will be posting content for USWE on their Instagram and YouTube accounts, @KellyJonesMTB. Jones is the face of their channel, and Buchwald-Arnett is the creative behind the scenes.

Before pursuing biking, he went to Daytona State College to study photography after falling in love with the art form during a trip to San Francisco with his grandmother at age 15.

“I still want to race, test myself and see how hard I can go,” he said. “But I get more satisfaction out of interactions with people who’ve watched the YouTube videos. Even though I’m not the face of it, Kelly is moreso the face, but we are a deal now. It’s getting more people on bikes and spreading the stoke of riding bikes. It’s having people excited when they see our videos and creating something. Not only that, the beautiful thing with photos and videos is, it’s capturing a piece of time.”

On Aug. 15, the pair will start the Swiss Epic race in the resort town of Lenzerheide, Switzerland. The course is 228 miles, including over 7 miles of climbing in mountainous terrain. Both team members must ride simultaneously.

Neither are daunted by the difference in training conditions between their home state and the Alps. Florida offers extreme weather conditions unique to the southernmost states, but also vast expanses of flat roads, with limited climbs and downhill recovery. Graham Swamp’s 7-mile course offers “punchy, steep, difficult climbs” with downhills that last a few seconds, making it one of the best places to train.

“In Florida, you pedal — it’s flat,” Jones said. “You don’t get to go down, so you don’t stop pedaling. That translates very, very well (for training). When you go to mountains, you might climb for an hour, but you come down for 30 minutes, and Floridians are fresh as a daisy when they have a downhill for that long. Like, that’s insane.” Both Jones and Buchwald-Arnett are professional cyclists and com

“That's a great thing about the bike too. So many destinations that you wouldn’t think that you would go to, and then the bike brings you there. The cherry on top is you get to explore by bike, which not many people get to do. ... Exploring by bike is one of my favorite things in the world, because you can cover so much more ground than hiking."

AUSTIN BUCHWALDARNETT, mountainbiker, content creator

fortable with racing. They both were exposed to competition as children.

Jones was raised in Biddulph, England, with mom Trudie Jones racing Mini Coopers and brother Chris Jones riding motocross; Ohioan Buchwald-Arnett watched “The Office” while his uncle rode his indoor bike to train for Cat 2 road bike racing.

In 2018, Jones started racing in the Florida State Championship Series in mountain biking, and winning. She is the 2023 eSports national champion and the 2021 and 2022 eMTB state champion.

Buchwald-Arnett also had a natural talent for speed. In 2019, he finished second in his first mountain bike race for the Florida State Championship Series, then finished second in his second race and first in his third race.

Eventually, Jones would like to start coaching and organizing women’s rides.

“I would like to start, in the next year, moving a little bit more towards coaching and women’s rides,” she said. “People have asked me to do a podcast. But we’re in the middle of building out a van right now. And when that’s done, we have quite a few ideas of what we’d like to do, and it involves a lot of traveling and a lot of racing for me, Austin and the dogs.”

Cross-country Mountain Bike National Champion Kelly Jones flies downhill.

Austin Buchwald-Arnett attacks one of the downhills at the Graham Swamp Mountain Bike Trail.

Austin Buchwald-Arnett and Kelly Jones take a breather at the Graham Swamp Mountain Bike Trail in Palm Coast.

Photos by Michele Meyers

Chance podium meeting leads couple to bike race in Swiss Alps.

Registration for the Pink on Parade 5k is open! Sign up at pinkonparade.com. Funds raised stay in Flagler County to support residents with early detection screenings, treatment, research, & education.

LOCAL EVENTS

THURSDAY, JULY 20

ORMOND BEACH AREA DEMOCRATIC CLUB MEETING

When:

Where: Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach

Details: Ormond Beach Area

Democratic Club for its monthly meeting. The meeting will focus on promoting awareness of lo cal, state and national issues and responsive ways to put American democratic values into action. There will also be an emphasis on preparing to vote under new election laws. Social visiting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Likeminded nonmembers are welcome to attend as guests. Visit ormondbeachdems.org.

FRIDAY, JULY 21

SUMMER SOUNDS

When: 6-8 p.m.

Where: The Casements, 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach Details: See The Hindenburgs band perform rock ‘n’ roll hits from the ’50s through the ’90s. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and celebrate summertime with the city of Ormond Beach’s Department of Leisure Services. Free.

SATURDAY, JULY 22

TOUR DE PALM COAST

When: 8-10 a.m.

Where: Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway NE, Palm Coast Details: Grab your bike and take part in the Tour de Palm Coast. The tour will begin and end at the Palm Coast Community Center, and participants will ride through Linear and Waterfront Parks. The ride will be done at a leisurely pace, with stops for water and exploration. Pre-registration and helmets are required. The city encourages riders to bring water. Light refreshments will be served after the ride. Visit parksandrec.fun.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: Ormond Beach’s downtown district, Granada Boulevard between A1A and Orchard Street

Details: Ormond MainStreet will host the sixth annual Christmas in July shopping and dining event. Celebrate locally owned businesses in the downtown. Check Ormond MainStreet’s Facebook page for

Santa’s schedule and the scavenger hunt locations for this year’s event.

ORMOND YACHT CLUB

OPEN HOUSE

When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Ormond Yacht Club, 63 N. Beach St., Ormond Beach Details: Enter the historic 1910 Ormond Yacht Club during this free open house. Guests will be asked to sign a liability waiver and wear closed-toed shoes due to the nonconforming construction of the building, which is being restored. The open house will take place during Ormond MainStreet’s Christmas in July event.

For more information, contact Event Chairman Bill Partington at 386-5663004.

SUNDAY, JULY 23

CHESS CLUB

When: 10-11 a.m.

Where:

Chabad of Palm Coast, 160 Cypress Point Parkway, Suite A208, Palm Coast

Details: Chabad of Palm Coast is hosting a chess club for children, to be taught by Yuriy Geller. Free. Snacks will be provided. Email info@ chabadpalmcoast.com to sign up your children.

DUO ART EXHIBITION

OPENING RECEPTION 1-3:30 p.m. Expressions Art Gallery on Colbert, 2298 Colbert Lane, Palm Coast Artists Grace Senior Morandi and Christine Broussard’s works make up the Duo Art Exhibition, inspired by “finding treasures, learning about different cultures, and capturing special moments through art.” The exhibition will run through Sept. 2.

TUESDAY, JULY 25

VOLUSIA-FLAGLER SIERRA

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

Details: The Volusia-Flagler Sierra Club will host a social get-together for food, drink and conversation.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26

HAPPY WANDERERS ORMOND BEACH FUN

WALK

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Granada Plaza, 161 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach Details: Join the Happy Wanderers for a 5K fun walk. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m. Walk with the group or at your own pace. Maps can be provided. Visit happywanderersfl.org or call 386-214-3890 or 386-256-2160.

ONGOING EXERCISES FOR THE MATURING BODY

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

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. Insurances that cover 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 Want to spend a day looking at fine art? The Museum of Arts and Sciences has the following shows on display: “Unfolding the Universe: The James Webb Space Telescope” and “Caribbean Indigenous Resistance.”

For more information or to register, visit parksandrec.fun Check

PROVIDING FOR FINDINGS; PROVIDING FOR CONDITIONS; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO RECORD THE ORIDNANCE WITH THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, WITH THE CHIEF ADMINSTRATIVE OFFICE OF FLAGLER COUNTY AND WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE; PROVIDING FOR LEGAL DESCRIPTION AND A MAP; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR NON-CODIFICATION AND THE TAKING OF ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS 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 which the meeting will be held and the location. The failure of a person 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)

MORE OR LESS OF REAL PROPERTY, GENERALLY LOCATED NORTH OF INTERSECTION COUNTY ROAD 304 AND STATE HIGHWAY 11, MORE PARTICULARLY AND LEGALLY DESCRIBED ON EXHIBIT A, ATTACHED HERETO AND FULLY INCORPORATED HEREIN BY THIS REFERENCE; PROVIDING FOR THE AMENDMENT OF CITY BOUNDARIES TO CONTRACT THE SUBJECT PROPERTIES FROM THE CITY BOUNDARIES; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF PRIOR INCONSISTENT ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

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

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

Sweet crafts: OMAM hosts ice cream themed children’s art

The workshop featured an appearance by MicheLee Puppets.

EMMA BRUGNA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Children ages 4-12 created their own ice cream puppets in a youth workshop at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens on Wednesday, July 5.

The museum’s “School’s Out for Art” workshop celebrated National Ice Cream Month.

The children made their puppet friends by wrapping their colored yarn of choice around a Styrofoam

sphere to resemble a scoop of ice cream.

Then, they formed the cone by drawing brown diagonal lines from both directions on a piece of paper and rolling it into a cone shape.

At the end of the event, each child received a complimentary sock puppet from MicheLee Puppets as a reward for their sweet art skills.

Special guests Denise Lucich, from MicheLee Puppets, along with puppets “Ms. Raz-berry” and “Max Mint,” greeted the students.

Lucich said MicheLee Puppets works to “empower kids with the art of puppetry.”

Diamond Johnson, curator of youth and outreach programs, organized and led the activity.

Kameron Sigala and her mom work together to finish their ice cream cone puppet.

Alaisa Spearman crafts the cone for her puppet.

Samantha Gonzalez chooses pink yarn to craft her ice cream-inspired puppet.

Denise Lucich helps Alexis Aldana add the final touches.

Cora Suarez shows off her new ice cream friend, Penny Pistachio.

Mary Frances Philpot poses with her art.

Photos by Emma Brugna

Student earns associate degree at 16

Aziza Kadirbek graduated from high school at 14. Two years later, she’s already working on her bachelor’s.

ABBIE PACE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Ormond Beach resident Aziza

Kadirbek graduated from Flagler Palm Coast High School at 14 and earned her associate degree at 16, taking just over a year to complete the degree.

She is now pursuing a bachelor’s in health sciences at the University of Central Florida. Kadirbek is interested in anesthesiology and hopes to one day attend medical school.

“I think all of us kind of look up to my mom and my dad,” Kadirbek said. “My dad was a neurosurgeon in Uzbekistan, and comes from a family

of neurosurgeons.”

Her mother, Nargiza Ayupova, said she has always emphasized the importance of education to her children.

“Success is not about talent or intelligence, it is also about persistence and sheer determination,” Ayupova said.

Kadirbek took part in dual enrollment, a program that allows students to attend college while still in high school.

She enrolled at FPC’s Allied Health CTE program and took classes with Viki White, a teacher who Kardibek said ignited her interest in the medical field.

“I think that she (Kadirbek) is aware that she has not had the ‘normal’ school experience, yet she remains humble,” White said. “Aziza is unique in that she has an ability to make everyone feel valuable and included.”

White said she hopes Kadirbek “stays curious.”

Kadirbek excelled on the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test, known as PERT, achieving high scores in math, reading and writing.

So, with the support of Daytona State College adviser Mark Nabors, she embarked on a rigorous academic path, taking four to five college classes each semester, including summers.

She completed her associate degree in just over a year.

“It was noticeable that she was highly intelligent and goal-oriented,” Nabors said.

Most students take two to three classes per semester, but Ayupova encouraged her daughter to take on a heavier course load.

“I want to be just like my mother,” Kadirbek said. “She’s the only one that’s pushing me. If it wasn’t for her, I would not be doing this at all.” Kadirbek’s achievements have

also motivated her friends, cousins and three younger siblings to pursue their own educational goals.

Her brother Imronbek Kadirbek,

12 and an eighth grader at Imagine School at Town Center, has already taken the PERT to take classes at DSC.

“LPX’N APWZUN NRON AWUULPD ET XUBUW TPDUNREXZ NRON VOX FU NOGUX APW ZWOXNUL.”

OXZUIO DUWGUI

“XRZVN GUYR ZC U GUIIRD FW XZDIK. XRZVN U GUV ZC U GUIIRD FW UNR. XPI

XRZVN U NRVIYRGUV ZC U GUIIRD FW BKFZBR.” OZV SZRCRY

“E’L FTS D GEZ CDF TC SDPUEFZ DGTXS AJEFZ. DFA SMKF E LDUK D LTOEK RMKHK E UEPP KOKHJGTAJ.”

© 2023 NEA, Inc.

Puzzle One Clue: V equals C Puzzle Two Clue: N equals G Puzzle

AEHKBSTH DGKP CKHHDHD

Aziza Kadirbek

SILENCE IS GOLDEN by Michael Berg, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

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

Tide together

Campers make friendships and memories at new Surf and Springs camp.

MICHELE MEYERS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Odyssey Adventure Club’s Surf and Springs campers never know which beach they’ll be surfing.

Owner Steve Waterman has camp counselor Scott Cooke check marine conditions every day to find the best spots.

“I like to follow the tides and swells, which is how we plan this (the camp),” Cooke said. “We base things off of where it’s going to break good based on the tide change.”

Cooke has been a camp counselor for OAC for 10 years, since his

Trails Middle School dean and Flagler Beach resident started surfing when he was 12.

He returns to the camp every year to share the activities he grew up with and watch the campers have as much fun as he did.

“Developing something that we can do as we grow in life is important,” he said. “(I’m) 41 years old and still getting to surf, enjoy the ocean and all the beauty that’s around us in this area. We are doing something that is leaving a lasting impression on the kids. Steve’s amazing at setting that foundation. That’s why the kids keep coming back. They know that we love it as much as they do.”

The Surf and Springs camp is new this year. Traditionally, Odyssey Adventure Club’s camp has been a five-day surf camp in the sun. Waterman decided to break the beach days up with two days dedicated to trips to the springs.

“Five days in the sun is a lot,” he said. “ I decided alternating with two days at the springs would give everyone a break. This is the first year that all of us feel exhausted by the end of the week. The heat has been so intense every single day. Everybody feels it.”

Waterman was camp counselors Nicole Sanclemente and Jan Michael Scott’s fourth and fifth grade teacher at Horizon Elementary in Port Orange.

Sanclemente reconnected with him six years ago after she taught for a couple years at Spruce Creek High School. She now teaches physical education at Cypress Creek Elementary and coaches cross country and softball for SCHS.

Scott has been teaching at Old Kings Elementary for 13 years.

“We’re out, we’re kayaking,

we’re snorkeling and when it’s not surf camp, we’re rock climbing, disk golfing, ice skating,” Scott said. “We get to work with kids like we do throughout the school year but it’s a little different environment. It’s exciting. It’s fun for us.”

Waterman incorporates STEM — scientific, technology, engineering and math — into just about every facet of his life, but believes the subject of climate change is a little heavy for the weeklong summer adventure camps.

He delves into the subject in detail at his independent school Modern Minds Learning in Ormond Beach, where one of his six-week units covers climate change and its effects. His school also offers STEM academies for junior and master engineers in the summer.

Waterman and his counselors begin the adventure camps with a safety talk for campers at Fortunato Park, stressing the importance of hydration and sunscreen. Campers respect the necessary water and sunscreen breaks but love the watermelon rind throwing contest the best.

“Sometimes he (Waterman) finds a bucket, then we all eat our watermelon, then we throw it in,” camper Grace Gildon said. “If you make it in, you can either get another piece of watermelon or like candy or a doughnut hole. It’s really cool.”

Odyssey camper Luke Gildon rides out.

Camp buddies Grace Gildon and Anna Viscomi hug after Grace’s treatment for a jellyfish sting.

Emme Jordan (right) cruises the sand on a boogie board as Preston “P Doggy” Klein (left) crawls up to retrieve his board.

Finlee Welch chills on her board.

Odyssey camp brothers Kyle and Connor Chang hang out with their cousin Levi Jones during lunch.

Odyssey campers Piper Hulin with sisters Ava and Emme Jordan

Owen Ralston and Isaac Wittnebert slap hands.

Camp counselor Jan Michael Scott, Odyssey Adventure Club owner Steve Waterman, camp counselor Nicole Sanclemente and camp counselor Scott Crooke

Shore explorer Logan Parker shows off his find.

Photos by Michele Meyers

REAL ESTATE

PALM COAST

House in Island Estates tops sales list in Flagler

County

Ahouse in Island Estates was the top real estate transaction for June 1-7 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. Dennis and Patsy Browning, of Palm Coast, sold 113 Island Estates Parkway to Celia Michelle Panovich and Donald Panovich, of Palm Coast, for $1,650,000. Built in 2006, the house is a 4/3.5 and has a fireplace, outdoor kitchen, pool, boat house, boat dock, hot tub and 4,333 square feet of space. It sold in 2016 for $1.1 million.

ALEXIS MILLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Condos Gloria Danaher, as trustee, sold 26 Oxford Lane to Michael Lund, of Palm Coast, for $215,000. Built in 1984, the condo is a 2/2 with 1,098 square feet. It sold in 2013 for $72,000.

Lynette Souza, of Palm Coast, sold 102 Club House Drive, Unit 208, to James and Lora Ramsey, of Unit Belmont, North Carolina, for $600,000. Built in 2005, the condo is a 3/3 and has 2,414 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $415,000.

Cinnamon Sands, LLC, of Windermere, sold 900 Cinnamon Beach Way, Unit 852, to Margaret Glenn, LLC, of Lake Mary, for $750,000. Built in 2003, the condo is a 3/2 and has 1,682 square feet. It sold in 2014 for $474,300.

BUNNELL

Unicorporated

Marius De Bruin, of Naperville, Illinois, sold 22421 Otis Stone Hunter Road to Dustin and Monica Derickson, of Bunnell, for $1,085,000. Built in 1990, the house is a 5/3 and features a pool, an in-law suite, a barn, a car port

and 3,000 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $421,000.

FLAGLER BEACH

Oakview AcresLinda Caryn Celli, of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, sold 3304 John Anderson Highway to Rolf and Lori Pickering, as trustees, of Evergreen, Colorado, for $440,000. Built in 1979, the house is a 2/2 and has a fireplace, a pool and 1,448 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $322,000.

PALM COAST

Cypress Knoll INB Fund 1 LLC, of Orlando, sold 40 Egan Drive to Jonathan Pham, of Palm Coast, for $349,900. Built in 2023, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,650 square feet.

Grand Haven Beatrice Joan Zicht, of Palm Coast, sold 3 Village View Way to Harry and Barbara Vinci, as trustees, for $455,000. Built in 2002, the house is a 3/2 and has 2,108 square feet. It sold in 2002 for $263,800.

Indian Trails Scott Tuomey, of St. Augustine, sold 18 Brookside Lane to Michael Haines, of Palm Coast, for $328,000. Built in 1988, the house

is a 3/2 and has 1,580 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $320,000.

Sophon Kes and NY Kes, of Palm Coast, sold 7 Buffalo Meadow Lane to Elizabeth and Robert Crowe, of Palm Coast, for $415,000. Built in 2004, the house is a 4/3.5 and has 3,016 square feet. It sold in 2004 for $150,900.

Lakeside at Matanzas Shores

Patricia Shaw, Robin Dallanegra, Lori Steigerwald and William Dietz, of Acworth, Georgia, sold 45 San Carols Drive to Philip Perna and Michelle Powers Perna, of Palm Coast, for $515,000. Built in 2007, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,748 square feet.

Matanzas Woods

Lucy Perez, of Palm Coast, sold 14 Lemay Place to George Fraser and Gail Buccafurri, of Palm Coast, for $545,000. Built in 2004, the house is a 4/4 and has a pool, a hot tub and 2,731 square feet.

Not in a subdivision

Roger Musson and Gloria Jean Musson, of Kingsport, Tennessee, sold 5 Commander Court to Dana Dwight Richards and Lillian Kaye Langs, of Palm Coast, for $500,000. Built in 1991, the house is a 3/2.5 and has a boat dock and 1,843 square feet. It sold in 2016 for $243,500.

Palm Harbor

Sean and Cynthia Osowski, of Villa Rica, Georgia, sold 14 Crossleaf Court East to Jeffrey Allen Leopardi and Karen Eileen Leopardi, of Palm Coast, for $840,000. Built in 2010, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool, a hot tub, a boat dock and 2,570 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $530,000.

Robert and Janet Koester, of Brunswich, Ohio, sold 86 Forsythe Lane to Francis Cutruzzola, and Lisa Darlene Cutruzzola, of Palm Coast, for $499,000. Built in 2002, the house is a 3/3 and has a pool and 1,963 square feet. It sold in 2013 for $227,500.

Steven Michael Merritt and Joy Clark, of Palm Coast, sold 13 Cool Water Court to Brendan and Angela Bonner, of Palm Coast, for

BIZ BUZZ

FOUR AGENTS JOIN REALTY EXECUTIVES OCEANSIDE

$752,500. Built in 1985, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, a hot tub, a boat dock and 2,483 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $644,000.

Pine Grove Florida Sun Partners LLC, of Orlando, sold 25 Pinetree Drive to Wesam Said, of Palm Coast, for $435,000. Built in 2023, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,306 square feet.

Pine Lakes Elisa Rivetti and Patricia Holterhoff, as trustees, sold 71 Wentworth Lane to Dale Groves and Jo Ann Groves, of Kent, Ohio, for $395,000. Built in 1993, the house is a 3/2.5 and has a pool and 2,575 square feet.

William Spratt, of Weeki Wachee, sold 12 Woodfair Lane to Sheldon Somsky and Rosa Duffy, of Palm Coast, for $499,000. Built in 1996, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, a hot tub and 1,959 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $204,000.

Seminole Woods Israel and Yarinette Dominguez, of Richard Hill, Georgia, sold 6 Sea Ship Place to Christopher Strozier, of Palm Coast, for $376,900. Built in 2006, the house is a 3/3 and has 2,427 square feet. It sold in 2007 for $190,000.

Willow Woods Frances Bennett, as trustee, sold 17 Debra Lane to The Duly Appointed Trustees of The Gary and Carol Williams Trust, of St. Augustine, for $1,350,000. Built in 2013, the house is a 4/2 and has a boat dock, a boat lift, a fireplace and 2,203 square feet. It sold in 2015 for $675,000.

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

Four new agents are joining Realty Executives Oceanside: Angie Thomas, Angela Cerniglia, Iwona Baj and Julie Aguiar.

“We are honored to have Angie Thomas, Angela Cerniglia, Iwona Baj and Julie Aguiar join the talented individuals on our Realty Executives Team,” Broker/Owner Bruce Vinnick said, according to a press release. “They will be an excellent addition to our energetic, professional office culture.”

Realty Executives Oceanside has offices in Palm Coast, Ormond Beach and Jacksonville. For more information, go to RealtyExecutives.com.

CENTURY 21 SUNDANCE PARTNERS WITH SPRUCE CREEK

Century 21 Sundance Realty, with offices in Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach, is joining with Country Club Properties of Spruce Creek in Port Orange to expand the firm’s service area and market share in Volusia and Flagler counties.

Spruce Creek is a luxury community built around a private airport that allows residents to fly in and out of their backyard, according to a press release.

Before its affiliation with CENTURY 21 Sundance Realty, Country Club Properties of Spruce Creek had 12 dedicated real estate professionals. Country Club Properties of Spruce Creek owner Anne Busse-Gandt has assumed the role of broker-associate and will focus on her real estate sales profession.

“Anne has built her real estate business around the Spruce Creek community so to have her deep expertise in serving this niche community is an incredible asset to our combined company,” said CENTURY 21 Sundance Realty broker/owner Nancy Dance, according to the press release. “... This new business relationship will provide tremendous professional development resources and opportunities for our newly affiliated agents.”

Well maintained ICI-built home that exudes luxury and comfort. 3BR, 2BA, and a 2-CG. Spacious formal living room and dining room. Private master suite with private master bath. The large screened-in lanai has a summer kitchen, inground salt water pool, and heated spa make outdoor living a breeze. MLS#1108937 $589,000 Call Buzzy Porter 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 Call Bill Navarra 386-334-9991.

Extraordinary Hanger Home 4BR, 4BA, 2-CG at Spruce Creek Fly In. Beautiful kitchen with high-quality cabinetry and granite countertops. Large owner’s suite with luxurious bathroom and opens to the lanai. Stunning outdoor oasis with a lap pool, spa, waterfalls, fire bowls and gourmet outdoor kitchen. MLS#1109380 $1,975,000 Call Buzzy Porter 386-405-1000.

$635,000

Automated hurricane shutters. MLS#1104068

Call Buzzy Porter at 386-405-1000.

Welcome to your dream home on the most sought-after street in Ormond Beach! This riverfront house offers an unparalleled living experience with breathtaking views of the river from every room. 3 bed 3.2 bath. new dock, boathouse and lift. Call Bill Navarra 386-334-9991.

REAL ESTATE

House in Plantation Bay tops sales list in

Ormond Beach

Ahouse in Plantation Bay was the top real estate transaction for June 4-10 in Ormond Beach and Ormond-by-the-Sea. Margery Henkel-Zimmerman, of Ormond Beach, sold 1229 Castlehawk Lane to Michael Facchini, of West Milford, New Jersey, for $1.1 million. Built in 2016, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool, a hot tub, an outdoor kitchen and 3,024 square feet of space. It sold in 2017 for $599,900.

ALEXIS MILLER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Condos

Jaqueline Gordon, of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, sold 2700 Ocean Shore Blvd. Unit 507, to James and Darlene Sinaly, of Ormond Beach, for $375,000. Built in 1986, the condo is a 3/2 and has 1,415 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $293,000.

Platinum Process Home Buyers, LLC, of Rowlett, Texas, sold 640 N. Nova Road, Unit 307, to Sharon Czarny, of Ormond Beach, for

$171,900. Built in 1976, the condo is a 2/2 and has 935 square feet. It sold in 2016 for $65,000.

Adam Saperston, Lisa Bond and Eric Saperston, of Boise, Idaho, sold 2750 Ocean Shore Blvd., Unit 8, to Hakima Haraji, of Port Orange, for $270,000. Built in 1973, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,184 square feet. It sold in 2002 for $117,000.

ORMOND BEACH

Ann Rustin Estates Alexander Strautmann and Eden

Neumann, of Ormond Beach, sold 210 Ann Rustin Drive to Nathan and April Munson, of Ormond Beach, for $749,000. Built in 1968, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool and 2,416 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $370,000.

Assessors Ormond Beach

Robert and Karen Brownrigg, of Longwood, sold 111 Royal Palm Ave. to Troy Allen Vanest, of Ormond Beach, for $425,000. Built in 1961, the house is a 3/3 and has a fireplace and 2,199 square feet. It sold in 1977 for $55,000.

David Point

Irina Grosz and Olga Gorbarenko, of Daytona Beach, sold 46 S. Arbor Drive to Nichole Osinski and Alexander Slemp, of Ormond Beach, for $390,000. Built in 1957, the house is a 2/1.5 and has 973 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $110,000.

Halifax Plantation

Maxine Radke, of Ormond Beach, sold 4090 Campa Lane to Brian and Debra Taylor, of Ormond Beach, for $456,000. Built in 1994, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 2,049 square feet. It sold in 1994 for $144,800.

Hickory Village

Eirini Pappas and Derrick Ken Ferguson, of Daytona Beach, sold 12 Trina Street to Paul Phillips and Mary Kathryn Phillips, of Ormond Beach, for $335,000. Built in 1986, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,525

square feet. It sold in 2017 for $27,500.

Hunters Ridge Robert Sheldon, of Eastham, Massachusetts, Ronald Sheldon, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and David Sheldon, of Elberon, Virgina, sold 28 Laurel Ridge Break to Anthony and Any Louise Anthony, of Ormond Beach, for $380,000. Built in 1999, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 2,015 square feet.

McNary David Goosman, of Ormond Beach, sold 167 N. Ridgewood Ave. to Trenton Butler, of Ormond Beach, for $508,000. Built in 1985, the house is a 4/2 and has a fireplace and 2,489 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $130,000.

Oak Forest Cecelia Kay Degnan, of Daytona Beach, sold 1207 N. Beach Street to Daniel and Cheryl Hansen, of Edwards, Colorado, for $495,900. Built in 1979, the house is a 4/3 and has a fireplace, a pool and 2,154 square feet. It sold in 2013 for $215,000.

Oak Park Tomie and Reba Johnson, of Ormond Beach, sold 413 Division Ave. to Daniel Bugyi, of Ormond Beach, for $250,000. Built in 1972, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,138 square feet. It sold in 2009 for $107,400.

Michael and Vicki Williams, of Marianna, sold 19 Maria St. to First American Finance Corporation, of Miami, for $275,000. Built in 1957, the house is a 2/1 and has 887 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $168,500.

Ormond Lakes Jamie Beth Maragas, of Ormond Beach, sold 17 Lochwind Lane to Lewis Darr and Stephanie Coleman, as trustees, for $535,000. Built in 2004, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,949 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $345,900.

Plantation Bay

Patricia Stewart, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, sold 1096 Hampstead Lane to Steven and Stacy Ayers, of

Ormond Beach, for $972,000. Built in 2003, the house is a 3/3 and has a pool, a hot tub, a fireplace and 3,505 square feet. It sold in 2004 for $581,500.

Rosemont

JMFAB Enterprises LLC, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, sold 152 Ponce De Leon Drive to Limans 024 LLC, of Miramar, for $335,000. Built in 1956, the house is a 4/3 and has 1,492 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $130,000.

Tomoka Oaks

Arden Riggs and Marcia Buss Riggs, of Palm Coast, sold 84 S. St. Andrews Drive to Michael Stragapede and Mary Ellen Jarrell, of Ormond Beach, for $457,000. Built in 1975, the house is a 4/2.5 and has a fireplace, a pool and 2,127 square feet. It sold in 2011 for $203,000.

The Trails Jonathan and Karen Booraem, of Daytona Beach, sold 6 Tomahawk Trail to Timothy Salemo, of Ormond Beach, for $305,500. Built in 1979, the house is a 2/2 and has a fireplace and 1,575 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $187,500.

Woodmere John and Emily Coppa, of Ormond Beach, sold 911 Woodmere Circle to Christopher Allen James and Maria Corazon Macarang James, of Ormond Beach, for $424,900. Built in 1963, the house is a 4/2 and has a pool and 1,930 square feet. It sold in 2014 for $175,000.

ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA

Robert Roy Mohr, as trustee, sold 46 Silk Oaks Drive to Gino and Denise Di Re, of Ormond Beach, for $438,500. Built in 1972, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,605 square feet. It sold in 1981 for $84,500.

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

FIRST INSERTION Flagler County Schools Food and Nutrition Services FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Café EDU, the Flagler County Schools Food and Nutrition Service, today announced an amendment to its policy for serving meals to students under the National School Lunch / School Breakfast Programs for the 2023-2024 school year. All students will be served lunch and breakfast at no charge at the following schools:

Belle Terre Elementary Rymfire Elementary Indian Trails Middle Bunnell Elementary Wadsworth Elementary Flagler-Palm Coast High Old Kings Elementary Buddy Taylor Middle Matanzas High

For additional information please contact: Attention Café EDU Flagler County Schools Food and Nutrition Services, Angela Bush, Director, Food and Nutrition Services, 1769 E. Moody Blvd, Bunnell, FL 32110, (386)437-7526 EXT 1159, BushA@FlaglerSchools.com

in person or in writing, might preclude the ability of such person to contest the Ordinance at a later date. A copy of all pertinent information this ordinance can be obtained at the office of the Bunnell Customer Service Office, 604 E. Moody Blvd. Unit 6, Bunnell, FL 32110. Persons with disabilities needing assistance to attend this proceeding should contact the Bunnell City Clerk at (386) 437-7500 x 5 at least 48-business hours prior to the meeting.

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

23-00177F

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-ComplaintForm-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 6329992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Kargar/Venture Development Realty

OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is July 20, 2023. Personal Representative: HOWARD S. KROOKS, ESQ. 1801

FLAGLER COUNTY LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

Notice is hereby given that undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property under The Florida Self Storage Facility Act Statutes (Section 83.80183.809). The undersigned will sell at public sale by

SUBSEQUENT INSERTIONS

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 which the meeting will be held and the location. The failure of a person to appear during said hearing and comment on or object to the proposed Ordinance, either in person or in writing, might preclude the ability of such person to contest the Ordinance at a later date.

decides to appeal any decision made by the City Commission on this matter a

SUBSEQUENT INSERTIONS

SECOND INSERTION

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE IN AND FOR CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR FLAGLER COUNTY, FLORIDA CIVIL DIVISION CASE NO.: 22-CA-000478 U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR VELOCITY COMMERCIAL CAPITAL LOAN TRUST VCC 2021-2 Plaintiff, vs. BRINDAL EXANTUS, individually; and UNKNOWN TENANT(S)/ OWNER(S)/ SPOUSE(S) IN POSSESSION, Defendants. NOTICE IS GIVEN that pursuant to the Final

to wit: THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBED PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE COUNTY FLAGSTAR, FLORIDA: TRACT 2, OF BLOCK 7, OTHERWISE DESCRIBED AS SOUTHWEST 1/4 OF SOUTHWEST 1/4 OF NORTHEAST 1/4, OF SECTION 27, TOWNSHIP 12 SOUTH, RANGE 29 EAST, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT OF ST. JOHNS DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, AS RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 1, PAGE 7, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF FLAGLER COUNTY, FLORIDA, TOGETHER WITH 25 FOOT INGRESS AND EGRESS EASEMENTS ALONG THE EASTERLY LINE OF SAID PARCEL, THE EASTERLY LINE OF TRACT 1, BLOCK 7 AND THE WESTERLY LINE OF TRACT 3, BLOCK 7. ALSO, A 30 FOOT INGRESS AND EGRESS EASEMENT ALONG THE WESTERLY LINE OF TRACT 1, BLOCK 2, SAID SUBDIVISION OF SAID SECTION. TOGETHER WITH THAT CERTAIN

be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of the first publication of this notice is July 13, 2023.

FL 33647

VOLUSIA COUNTY LEGAL NOTICES

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY GENERAL JURISDICTION DIVISION CASE NO. 2018 31282 CICI FINANCE OF AMERICA REVERSE LLC, Plaintiff, vs. LOUIS A. ROSSI, et al., Defendant. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Summary Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered April 24, 2023 in Civil Case No. 2018 31282 CICI of the Circuit Court of the SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT in and for Volusia County, Deland, Florida, wherein FINANCE OF AMERICA REVERSE LLC

is Plaintiff and Louis A. Rossi, et al., are Defendants, the Clerk of Court, LAURA E. ROTH, ESQ., will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash electronically at www. volusia.realforeclose.com in accordance with Chapter 45, Florida Statutes on the 11th day of August, 2023 at 11:00 AM on the following described property as set forth in said Summary Final Judgment, to-wit: Lot 94, Winding Woods Unit #4, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Plat Book 41, Pages 124 through 125, of the Public Records of Volusia County, Florida. Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the lis pendens, must file a claim before the clerk reports the surplus as unclaimed.

If you are a person with a disability who needs an accommodation in order to access court facilities or participate in a court

FIRST INSERTION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

Notice is hereby given that on 8/4/2023 at 10:30 am, the following mobile home will be sold at public auction pursuant to F.S. 715.109. 1977 SKYL HS 01611096K . Last Tenants: FRIEDA MAXINE KNIEBES AND TERESA LYNN ARTLIP and all unknown parties beneficiaries heirs . Sale to be at CS1031 MAPLEWOOD ESTATES MHC DST DBA TREASURE ISLE ESTATES, 141 ROYAL PALM CIRCLE, PORT ORANGE, FL 32127. 813-241-8269.

July 20, 27, 2023 23-00098V

proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. To request such an accommodation, please contact Court Administration in advance of the date the service is needed: Court Administration, 125 E. Orange Ave., Ste. 300, Daytona Beach, FL 32114; (386) 257-6096. Hearing or voice impaired, please call 1 (800) 955-8770. By: /s/Robyn Katz Robyn Katz, Esq. McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC Attorney for Plaintiff 225 East Robinson Street, Suite 155 Orlando, FL 32801 Phone: (407) 674-1850 Fax: (321) 248-0420 Email: MRService@mccalla.com

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Notice is hereby given that on 8/4/2023 at 10:30 am, the following mobile home will be sold at public auction pursuant to F.S. 715.109. 1983 HOME HS 03610346S Last Tenants: RHONDA LEE ROOP and all unknown parties beneficiaries heirs Sale to be at LEGACY HCE LLC DBA HIGHLAND COUNTRY ESTATES MHC, 830 NORTH HIGHWAY, DEBARY, FL 32713. 813-241-8269. July 20, 27, 2023 23-00097V

for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Post Office Box 6043, DeLand, FL 32721; that the decedent’s date of death was January 17, 2023; that the total value of the estate is $257,961.08 ($195,000.00 exempt property) and that the names and addresses of those to whom it has been assigned by such order are:

Melissa Axiotis 14063 Claridge Road N Jacksonville, FL 32250 ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE

NOTIFIED THAT:

All creditors of the estate of the decedent and persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent other than those for whom provision for full payment was made in the Order of Summary Administration must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS

SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES

SECTION 733.702. ALL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER APPLICABLE TIME PERIOD, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2)

YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECE-

DENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this Notice is July 20, 2023.

Melissa Axiotis, Petitioner 14063 Claridge Road N Jacksonville, FL 32250

FRED B. SHARE, ESQUIRE Florida Bar No. 256765

1092 Ridgewood Avenue Holly Hill, FL 32117

Telephone: (386) 253-1030

Fax: (386) 248-2425

E-Mail: fredshare@cfl.rr.com

2nd E-Mail: brobins@cfl.rr.com

Attorney for Petitioner July 20, 27, 2023 23-00137I

FIRST INSERTION

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 7TH

JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA. CASE No. 2018 30708 CICI REVERSE MORTGAGE FUNDING

LLC, Plaintiff, vs. UNKNOWN SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES AND ALL OTHER PARTIES CLAIMING AN INTEREST BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST THE ESTATE OF EASTER MAE GIBSON, DECEASED, et. al.,

Defendants.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to an Order or Final Judgment entered in Case No. 2018 30708 CICI of the Circuit Court of the 7TH Judicial Circuit in and for VOLUSIA County, Florida, wherein, REVERSE MORTGAGE FUNDING LLC, Plaintiff, and, UNKNOWN SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES AND ALL OTHER PARTIES CLAIMING AN INTEREST BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST THE ESTATE OF EASTER MAE GIBSON, DECEASED, et. al., are Defendants, Clerk of the Court, Laura E. Roth, will sell to the highest bidder for cash at WWW. VOLUSIA.REALFORECLOSE.COM, at the hour of 11:00 AM, on the 16th day of August, 2023, the following described property: LOTS 95 AND 96, MASON HILLS SUBDIVISION, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 11, PAGE 287, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA. Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, must file a claim per the requirements set forth in FL Stat. 45.032. IMPORTANT

If you are a person with a disability who needs an accommodation in order to access court facilities or participate in a court proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance.

To request such an accommodation, please contact Court Administration in advance of the date the service is needed: Court Administration, 125 E. Orange Ave., Ste. 300, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, (386) 257-6096. Hearing or voice impaired, please call 711.

DATED this 12th day of July, 2023.

GREENSPOON MARDER LLP

TRADE CENTRE SOUTH, SUITE 700

100 WEST CYPRESS CREEK ROAD

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33309

Telephone: (954) 343 6273

Hearing Line: (888) 491-1120

Facsimile: (954) 343 6982

Email 1:

Karissa.Chin-Duncan@gmlaw.com

Email 2: gmforeclosure@gmlaw.com

By: Karissa Chin-Duncan, Esq. Florida Bar No. 98472 58341.0097 / JSchwartz

July 20, 27, 2023 23-00138I

VOLUSIA COUNTY LEGAL NOTICES

FIRST INSERTION WAYPOINTE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2023/2024 BUDGET; NOTICE OF PUB-

LIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE IMPOSITION OF OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS, ADOPTION OF AN ASSESSMENT ROLL, AND THE LEVY, COLLECTION, AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE SAME; AND NOTICE OF REGULAR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING. Upcoming Public Hearings, and Regular Meeting

The Board of Supervisors (“Board”) for the Waypointe Community Development District (“District”) will hold the following two public hearings and a regular meeting on August 11, 2023 at 11:00 a.m., at the Downtown Executive Center of Deland, 120 S. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, Florida 32720.

The first public hearing is being held pursuant to Chapter 190, Florida Statutes, to receive public comment and objections on the District’s proposed budget (“Proposed Budget”) for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2023 and ending September 30, 2024 (“Fiscal Year 2023/2024”). The second public hearing is being held pursuant to Chapters 190, 197, and/or 170, Florida Statutes, to consider the imposition of operations and maintenance special assessments (“O&M Assessments”) upon the lands located within the District, to fund the Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2023/2024; to consider the adoption of an assessment roll; and, to provide for the levy, collection, and enforcement of assessments. At the conclusion of the hearings, the Board will, by resolution, adopt a budget and levy O&M Assessments as finally approved by the Board. A Board meeting of the District will also be held where the Board may consider any other District business.

Description of Assessments

The District imposes O&M Assessments on benefitted property within the District for the purpose of funding the District’s general administrative, operations, and maintenance budget. A geographic depiction of the property potentially subject to the proposed O&M Assessments is identified in the map attached hereto. The table below shows the schedule of the proposed O&M Assessments, which are subject to change at the hearing:

SECOND INSERTION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

Notice is hereby given that on 7/28/2023 at 10:30 am, the following mobile home will be sold at public auction pursuant to F.S. 715.109. 1990 BARR HS FLFLK33A13168BA & FLFLK33B13168BA .

The O&M Assessments may be collected on the County tax roll or by direct bill from the District’s Manager. The O&M Assessments will only be imposed on lots sold to third parties, including lots sold during the Fiscal Year 2023/2024, and any portion of the District’s Proposed Budget not funded by the O&M Assessments will be funded by a developer funding agreement. Note that the O&M Assessments are in addition to any debt service assessments, if any, previously levied by the District and due to be collected for Fiscal Year 2023/2024. IT IS IMPORTANT TO PAY YOUR ASSESSMENT BECAUSE FAILURE TO PAY WILL CAUSE A TAX CERTIFICATE TO BE ISSUED

AGAINST THE PROPERTY WHICH MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF TITLE, OR FOR DIRECT BILLED ASSESSMENTS, MAY RESULT IN A FORECLOSURE ACTION,

The

hearings and meeting are open to the public and will be conducted in accordance with Florida law. A copy of the Proposed Budget and assessment roll, and the agenda, for the hearings and meeting may be obtained by contacting DPFG Management & Consulting LLC, 250 International Parkway, Suite 208, Lake Mary, Florida 32746, 321-263-0132 (“District Manager’s Office”). The public hearings and meeting may be continued to a date, time, and place to be specified on the record. There may be occasions when staff or board members may participate by speaker telephone. Any person requiring special accommodations because of a disability or physical impairment should contact the District Manager’s Office at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Florida Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1, or 1-800-955-8771 (TTY) / 1-800-955-8770 (Voice), for aid in contacting the District Manager’s Office.

Please note that all affected property owners have the right to appear and comment at the public hearings and meeting, and may also file written objections with the District Manager’s Office within twenty (20) days of issuance of this notice. Each person who decides to appeal any decision made by the Board with respect to any matter considered at the public hearings or meeting is advised that person will need a record of 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 such appeal is to be based. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the District Manager’s Office.

District Manager

FIRST INSERTION

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY GENERAL JURISDICTION DIVISION CASE NO. 2022 11100 CIDL ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC F/K/A QUICKEN LOANS, LLC F/K/A QUICKEN LOANS INC., Plaintiff, vs. LILLIAN GONZALEZ, et al., Defendants. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Summary Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered May 22, 2023 in Civil Case No. 2022 11100 CIDL of the Circuit Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit in and for Volusia County, Deland, Florida, wherein ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC F/K/A QUICKEN LOANS, LLC F/K/A QUICKEN LOANS INC. is Plaintiff and LILLIAN GONZALEZ, et al., are Defendants, the Clerk of Court, LAURA E. ROTH, ESQ., will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash electronically at www.volusia.realforeclose.com in accordance with Chapter 45, Florida Statutes on the 24th day of August, 2023 at 11:00

Last Tenants: ROBERT CLIFTON ASAY AND ROBERT CLIFTON ASAY JR AND ROBERT CLIFTON ASAY III and all unknown parties beneficiaries heirs . Sale to be at SUN KINGS LAKE LLC DBA KINGS LAKE MOBILE HOME PARK, 369 KINGSLAKE DRIVE, DEBARY, FL 32713. 813-241-8269.

July 13, 20, 2023 23-00088V

SECOND INSERTION

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

Notice is hereby given that on 7/28/2023 at 10:30 am, the following mobile home will be sold at public auction pursuant to F.S. 715.109. 1984 SOUT HS TWFLA6144A & TWFLA6144B . Last Tenants: JOHNNY EMIOS HAWKINS

SECOND INSERTION

WALKERS GREEN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 2023/2024; AND NOTICE OF REGULAR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING

The Board of Supervisors (“Board”) of the Walkers Green Community Development District (“District”) will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Cobb Cole Center, 149 Ridgewood Avenue, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114 for the purpose of hearing comments and objections on the adoption of the proposed budget (“Proposed Budget”) of the District for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024 (“Fiscal Year 2023/2024”). A regular Board of Supervisors meeting will also be held at that time where the Board may consider any other business that may properly come before it. A copy of the agenda and Proposed Budget may be obtained at the offices of the District Manager, c/o PFM Group Consulting, LLC, 3501 Quadrangle Boulevard, Suite 270, Orlando, Florida 32817; Ph: (407) 723-5900 (“District Manager’s Office”), during normal business hours. The public hearing and meeting are open to the public and will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Florida law. The public hearing and meeting may be continued to a date, time, and place to be specified on the record at the meeting. There may be occasions when Board Supervisors or District Staff may participate by speaker telephone. Any person requiring special accommodations at this meeting because of a disability or physical impairment should contact the District Manager’s Office at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Florida Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1, or 1-800-955-8771 (TTY) / 1-800-955-8770 (Voice), for aid in contacting the District Manager’s Office.

Each person who decides to appeal any decision made by the Board with respect to any matter considered at the public hearing or meeting is advised that person will need a record of 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 such appeal is to be based.

Jane Gaarlandt, District Manager

July 13, 20, 2023 22-00087V

CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2023-30271-COCI CYPRESS HEAD MASTER HOMEOWNER’S ASSOCIATION, INC. Plaintiff, -Vs.UNKNOWN HEIRS OF THOMAS D. CAVANAUGH, Defendant. YOU ARE NOTIFIED that pursuant to the Summary Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated the 27th of June, 2023, Case Number 2023-30271-COCI in the County Court, Seventh Judicial Circuit in and for Volusia County, Florida, in which CYPRESS HEAD MASTER HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC, is the Plaintiff, and UNKNOWN HEIRS OF THOMAS D. CAVANAUGH is the Defendant; I will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash at Volusia.RealForeclose.com, on the 14th day of August, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. the following described property as set forth in said Summary Final Judgment of Foreclosure:

Lot 88, Cypress Head Phase II-A, according to the plat thereof, recorded in Map Book 44, page 145 et seq., Public Records of Volusia County, Florida. The physical street address of said property is: 1232 Siesta Key Circle, Port Orange, Florida. Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.

ATTENTION: PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

In accordance with the American with Disabilities Act, persons with disabilities needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact Court Administrator at Suite 300, Courthouse Annex, 125 E. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach, FL 32114; Tel.: 386-257-6096 within two (2) working days of your receipt of the NOTICE OF SALE; if you are hearing impaired, call 1-800-955-8771; if you are voice impaired, call 1-800-955-8770. THIS IS NOT A COURT INFORMA-

TION LINE.

DATED this 11th day of July, 2023.

ROBERT ROBINS,

RED

INFORMATION & RATES: 386-447-9723

redpages@palmcoastobserver.com palmcoastobserver.com/redpages

The Palm Coast Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only.

*All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher.

*It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in the Palm Coast Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with towncodes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

Notice: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Grand Opening Event