Palm Coast Observer 03-14-24

LOCAL EVENTS

FRIDAY, MARCH 15

YOGA OUTDOORS

When: 10 a.m.

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

Details: The Environmental Discovery Center is hosting a free outdoor beginner level yoga class by Kim Latford. Chairs available. Mats recommended. Space is limited. Call 386-615-7081.

‘VINEGAR TOM’

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturdays, March 15, 16, 22 and 23; and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 17

Where: City Repertory Theatre, 160 Cypress Point Parkway, B207, Palm

Coast

Details: See this musical by Caryl Churchill telling the story of Alice and her mother Joan who are confronting accusations of witchcraft. Tickets cost $30 for adults; $15 for students. Visit crtpalmcoast.com.

are invited to tour the EDC, meet the animal ambassadors and ask questions. The camp will run from June 3-28 (Session 1 for 10-12 year olds) and July 8 to Aug. 2 (Session 2 for 7-9 year-olds).

HONEYBEE BUZZ: HEROES OF THE PLANET, MAKING HONEY HAPPEN

When: 10 a.m.

Where: Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area, 3100 S. Oceanshore Blvd., Flagler Beach

Details: Join beekeepers Bill and Barry for an educational program about how important honeybees are, Florida native “bee friendly” plants and what is involved in raising honeybees and harvesting the honey. Program is included with paid park entry fee of $5 per vehicle.

THIRD ANNUAL MILLION DOLLAR

FOOD-A-THON FOOD TRUCK

PALOOZA

When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: Flagler Palm Coast High School, 5500 State Route 100, Palm Coast

Details: This annual event will kick off with a Food Truck Palooza featuring over 40 food trucks, live entertainment, a kids fun zone, street vendors and a car show. The FoodA-Thon helped feed 4,500 families each month last year. A $5 parking donation is requested, to benefit the Grace Community Food Pantry.

PALMETTO CLUB’S ‘MAGICAL’

CANCER LUNCHEON

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

Where: Palmetto Club, 1000 S. Beach St. Daytona Beach

Details: Join the Palmetto Club for its annual cancer luncheon, featuring a presentation by the Daytona Magic Company and a lunch prepared by GEI Catering & Events. The luncheon costs $40 per person. Reserve a spot by Friday, March 8. Call 386-341-0479.

SUNDAY, MARCH 17

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

ENVIRO CAMP OPEN HOUSE

When: 10 a.m. to noon

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

Details: Families interested in registering their children for Enviro Camp

DR. WAYNE WOLD

ORGAN RECITAL

When: 3:30-5 p.m.

Where: Ormond Beach Presbyterian

Church, 105 Amsden Road, Ormond

Beach Details: Dr. Wayne Wold will present an organ recital playing the works of

Bach and other classical composers for the organ. He will also improvise on several Irish hymn tunes. The concert is free and open to the public. Visit cfago.org/wayne-woldworkshop.

MONDAY, MARCH 18

NARFE LUNCHEON

When: 11:30 a.m.

Where: Red Lobster, 2625 W. International Speedway Blvd, Daytona

Beach

Details: The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Chapter 2247 of Ormond Beach will meet for a program discussing Volusia County Library Services. For more information, email billdenny105@ gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

HOPPY EASTER EVENT

When: 10 a.m. to noon

Where: Tanger Outlets, 1100 Cornerstone Blvd., Daytona Beach

Details: Celebrate spring with Tanger Outlet’s annual Hoppy Easter event, presented by Halifax Health. There will be free family activities taking place near the Splash Pad, including a meet and greet with the Easter Bunny, spring-themed craft stations, face painting, games, music and more.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21 ORMOND BEACH AREA

DEMOCRATIC CLUB MEETING

When: 7 p.m.

Where: 56 N. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach

Details: Join the Ormond Beach Area Democratic Club for its March meeting, featuring a guest speaker from Common Cause. The focus of the meeting will be on club activities in preparation for the November election, how to meet Democratic neighbors, increase the Democratic presence in the community, and updates on local, state, and national issues. Like-minded non-members are welcome to attend as guests. Check-in and socializing begins at 6:30 p.m. Visit ormondbeachdems. org.

‘AN INSTRUMENTAL EXTRAVAGANZA’

When: 7 p.m.

Where: News-Journal Center at Daytona State College, 221 N. Beach

St. Daytona Beach

Details: Daytona State College Music presents, “An Instrumental Extravaganza.” Visit ci.ovationtix. com/36384/production/1189491.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

NATIONAL CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION GOLF CLINIC

When: 3:45-5:15 p.m.

Where: Palm Harbor Golf Club, 20 Palm Harbor Drive, Palm Coast

Details: The annual National Christian College Athletic Association Sports Clinic is offering a free golf session. Professional coaches and collegiate athletes representing the NCCAA will be in attendance. Register at https://bit.ly/49ZbUSb.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23

NATIONAL CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

SPORTS CLINIC

When: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Where: James F. Holland Memorial

Park, 18 Florida Park Drive N., Palm Coast Details: The annual National Christian College Athletic Association Sports Clinic will offer free soccer, baseball, softball, volleyball, and basketball. Professional coaches and collegiate athletes representing the NCCAA will be in attendance. Register at https://bit.ly/49ZbUSb.

TOMOKA UNITED METHODIST

CHURCH EASTER PARTY AND EGG HUNT

When: 10 a.m.

Where: Tomoka United Methodist Church, 1000 Old Tomoka Road, Ormond Beach

Details: Join the church for an Easter party and egg hunt. This event is free for children in preschool through fifth grade. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Activities will include a snack, storytime, games, coloring tables, and a visit by the Easter Bunny with photo opportunities. Children will be divided into three age groups for the egg hunt.

EGG’STRAVAGANZA

When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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

Details: Celebrate Easter with Palm Coast. Enjoy a morning of arts and crafts, face painting, refreshments,

carnival games, and pictures with the Easter Bunny. Booths from local organizations will be providing activities for children and giving out Easter eggs after completing their activity. There is a chance to win more eggs at the Carnival Midway.

WARBIRDS OVER FLAGLER

When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, March 23-24

Where: Flagler County Executive Airport, 201 Airport Road, Palm Coast

Details: See warbirds fly over Flagler County. The event will be located on the south side of the airport, off Finn Way. The opening ceremony will take place at noon each day. Visit www. warbirdsoverflagler.com.

FLORIDA HISTORY AND CULTURE FESTIVAL

When: 12-3:15 p.m.

Where: Anderson-Price Memorial Building, 42 N. Beach St., Ormond Beach

Details: The Ormond Beach Historical Society’s Florida History and Culture Festival will feature a folklorist program by Kathy Kniery and David Fussell, authors, artists and exhibitors.

ORMOND BEACH GARDEN CLUB’S ANNUAL FLOWER SHOW AND TEA EXTRAVAGANZA

When: 1-3:30 p.m.

Where: The Casements, 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach

Details: Join the Ormond Beach Garden Club for its annual Flower Show and Tea Extravaganza, “Brighten Your World With Birds, Bees, Flowers, and Tea.” There will be a flower arrangement demonstration, information and a talk on bees by Jack Dunlop, raffles, plants and jewelry for sale and piano music by Glenn Lowry. Admission costs $5.

THE DOO WOP PROJECT

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center, 5500 E. Highway 100, Palm Coast

Details: The Doo Wop Project traces the evolution of Doo Wop from the classic sound of five guys singing harmonies on a street corner to the biggest hits on the radio today. Tickets start at $64. Visit flaglerauditorium.org.

CRT’s production features new, original music by composer/pianist Benjamin Beck. The result is a modern and sometimes humorous take on attempts to subjugate women over the centuries and particularly during the 1970s Feminist Movement in the United States when the play was written. Photo by Mike Kitaif

BY THE NUMBERS PALM HARBOR GOLF

GREEN RATES

Rates at the golf course vary based on the peak or off season, the times of day, and where a player is a resident. The council voted to increase the rates by:

These are the current green rates — with increased adjustments — for 18 holes from Nov. 1-April 30 between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m.:

$43 to $45.50 for Palm Coast residents

$49 to $52.50 for Florida residents $53 to $60.00 non-Florida residents.

Price is right?

Palm Coast Council increases city golf course rates; vice mayor concerned about undercutting private courses

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

The price to play the greens at Palm Harbor Golf Course will be increasing across the board in May.

The Palm Coast City Council unanimously approved to increase the Palm Coast resident, Florida resident, and non-resident rates by $2.50, $3.50 and $7, respectively.

Vice Mayor Ed Danko advocated and motioned for a higher increase, saying that if the city has low rates, it undercuts the privately owned businesses.

“We really have no business being in business, is my view on this,” he said.

The increases would mostly impact the non-resident rates, which Parks and Recreation Director James Hirst only account for around 10% of the course’s players.

Hirst said the approved increases could create a revenue, which would deposit into the city’s general fund. When he presented to council at the March 5 business meeting, Hirst was recommending a $3.50 increase across all the course’s rates.

Danko initially proposed increasing the rates by $3.50 for Palm Coast residents, $5 for Florida residents

and $7.25 for non-residents, but the motion was not seconded. Council member Theresa Carli Pontieri said the council should not be padding the general fund at the expense of the residents.

“This is an amenity that we offer our residents,” she said, “that I want to still be able to offer our residents to where we aren’t paying to allow people to golf, but we also aren’t padding our general fund.”

Pontieri did say she was concerned about getting to cost-recovery without increasing the rates of at least the out-of-state rate.

Council member Nick Klufas disagreed with increasing the rates based on the private businesses. Though he did ultimately vote for the proposed increases — qualifying his vote as “reluctantly, yes” — he said Parks and Recreation does not make a profit from any other amenities in the city.

Why, he asked, should the city break that standard just for the golf course?

“I feel like we are under the veil of lobbying here,” Klufas said. “This is an instance where we can apply those things, but we don’t all apply those across the board.”

PALM HARBOR’S HISTORY

Palm Harbor is a full-service gulf course with 18 holes, a driving range, putting practice greens, a retail store and the on-site restaurant, Loopers. The city bought the golf course in 2008 and it was managed by the private management firm Kemper Sports since 2009.

The city took over the golf course in 2017, after Kemper Sports had ran the golf range at a six-figure deficit for multiple years.

Since the city took over, Parks and Recreation has been working to bring the course up to breaking even on operational costs through its fees.

Entry fee and rates at the golf course vary between on- and offpeak times, the time of day a person decides to play, how many holes, and by the residential status.

Peak season is between Nov. 1 and April 30. During those months it coasts a Palm Coast resident $43 to play 18 holes between the hours of 7 and 11 a.m. A Florida resident pays $49 and a non-resident pays $53. Those are the most expensive set rates and times. The increases — which do not apply until May 1, when the peakseason rates change to the off-season ones — would raise those to $45.50, $52.50 and $60 for the same play time and holes.

The proposed rate increase was part of a multi-amenity rate increase initially presented to the council last October. At that time, the council approved increasing rental fee rates like for activity spaces at city-owned parks and pool lanes the Palm Coast Aquatic Center.

The rates approved at the March 5 meeting were also tied into an ordinance that allows the city manager to approve increasing the golf rates alongside the annual Consumer Price Index. Pontieri suggested the CPI increase be automatically applied to help with cost recovery.

In October, Hirst proposed only increasing the golf rates by $2. “We believe this keeps us comparable with the other golf facilities, but also keeping our high standards that the golfers deserve,” Hirst said in that meeting.

UNDERCUTTING OTHER COURSES?

Danko said repeatedly at the March 2 meeting that the low fees of the business were “undercutting” the neighboring privately owned courses, Cypress Knolls, Grand Reserve and Pine Lakes Golf Courses “We now have to level this playing field though for our local courses, our local businesses,” Dank said.

Danko said at the October presentation he’d like to see the course break even or even make money after being in the red for so many years.

During Hirst’s presentation, he compared the Palm Harbor fees to that of the privately-owned courses. The prices are comparable.

Pine Lakes offers the same threetiered residential rates, with Palm Coast residents paying $48, Florida residents paying $50 and the nonresidents paying $54. Cypress Knoll Golf & Country Club and Grand Reserve Golf Club have lower rates over a two-tier residential structure: $42 and $46 for Cypress and $49 for both at Grand Reserve.

But Doreen Hall, co-owner of the Pine Lakes Golf Course, who attended the meeting and spoke during the public comment section, said the comparable prices are more because the private courses can’t raise their

rates when compared to the Palm Harbor rates and the quality of the city course.

Palm Harbor sets the rate structure for golf in the city, she said.

“As you provide a superior product, it is very challenging for other golf courses in the community to charge a rate higher than the city of Palm Coast,” Hall said. “Even if financially those golf courses need to charge more money.”

Danko said increasing the outof-state rates would not hurt Palm Coast residents. The visitors from out of Florida are used to paying higher rates to golf, he said.

“I think we’re giving those out of state folks a real major break we’re basically subsidizing their golf,” he said.

Klufas disagreed. While he agreed that the course needed to break even after so many years running at a deficit, he said it the cost-recovery model is the standard and it is unusual for the city to alter that for one amenity.

“Do we have any other amenities that we’re trying to get to this forprofit model that all of a sudden we are trying to balance out?” he asked.

Ultimately, Mayor David Alfin said, the rates will return to council for consideration in a year. At that time, he said, the city can see what the results of the increase were.

“How are people going to react? None of us know,” Alfin said. “I think that for a year, we could test and balance the field a bit. Maybe it’s not perfect, but we’ll have next year to refine it some more.”

Legislature earmarks about $150 million in state funding for Flagler County

Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin said that, if the city receives the funding, the westward road expansions can be “shovel ready” soon.

SIERRA

WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

The Florida legislature has earmarked around $150 million in state appropriations for Flagler County, Bunnell, Flagler Beach and Palm Coast.

The Florida Senate and House of Representatives passed a $117 billion budget on March 8, and it is now awaiting the line-item veto from Gov. Ron DeSantis. Even though the legislature has approved the appropriations in the budget, the funding is not guaranteed until after DeSantis reviews and approves the budget.

Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin said he believes the appropriations from the legislature, though still tentative, show faith in Palm Coast’s and Flagler County’s abilities.

“They had the confidence in our leadership and the experience of our staff,” Alfin said, “that they are willing to invest ... enough investment to make Palm Coast and Flagler County

a destination of regional impact in this region of Florida.”

The county and its municipalities jointly filed for over $460 million in appropriations through Sen. Travis Hutson at the beginning of the legislative session, between October and January. Both Hutson and House Speaker Rep. Paul Renner, are in their final terms in their respective elected offices.

Online news service FlaglerLive.com originally broke the total appropriations for the county and its municipalities.

Among other requests, Palm Coast submitted three appropriation requests for building road extensions into the west side of Palm Coast, part of the city’s planned westward expansion. According to the requests filed, the city asked for $83.7 million for a Matanzas Parkway extension, $64.7 million to extend Palm Coast Parkway and $39 million for a loop connector road, totaling $188 million.

The city only received $80 million: $25 million for each parkway extension and $30 million for the connector road.

“The engineering work is just about done,” Alfin said. “So that would mean that you could see shovels in the dirt during this calendar year.”

However other projects were denied funding — like the North Old Kings Road widening project. Alfin said the traffic count on that road has not tripped a minimum used by the Florida Department of Transportation, but that the city will keep applying for funding for that project.

“The city is trying to stay ahead of the curve,” he said. “And we know that there is more development coming along Old Kings Road. We also understand that it is a potential evacuation route and becomes an access point when I-95 has congestion.”

The legislature also approved a $6 million request from Palm Coast for developing a YMCA at Town Center.

The Volusia-Flagler Family YMCA also requested and received $3 million.

The process for getting funding approved is difficult, Flagler County General Services Assistant Director Mike Lagasse wrote over email, crediting the county staff for their hard work.

“To make it this far in this process, these projects must show a strong chance for long-term success and benefits to our citizens,” he wrote.

Among the items the county requested included several resiliency projects, stormwater management, flood plain mitigation and more.

Flagler County requested $10 million in conservation land acquisition and received the full request. Lagasse wrote that the money would be used to purchase identified sensitive lands from local landowners to “ conserve, preserve, protect, and utilize existing natural floodways” to store and move water. The county has identified multiple areas of land and landowners willing to sell already, he wrote. How the lands would specifically be used after the sale, would depend on the agreements made with the land owners.

Purchases could be made outright, Lagasse wrote, which means the county could then use the land for other approved projects — like creating a new park — or the purchase could just be a conservation easement, which restricts the usage.

Flagler County has a long history of land conservation, management and developing parks, he wrote, which is supported more at the citizen level.

“My hope is that these funds, if made available, will be used to help our farmers, ranchers, and other landowners achieve their conservation goals by providing financial incentive to conserve the quantity, quality, and location of water in it’s natural place,” he wrote.

STATE LAWMAKERS PASS BUDGET, END SESSION

After a flurry of last-minute votes on bills, Florida lawmakers on Friday, March 8, passed a $117.46 billion state budget and ended the 2024 legislative session.

House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, gaveled the 60-day session to a close at 2:25 p.m., before going to the rotunda between the House and Senate for a traditional hanky-drop ceremony.

Renner and Passidomo touted the Legislature’s accomplishments as they prepare to end two-year terms leading the House and Senate.

“Again and again, we have looked at the real needs of real Floridians and delivered time and time again because of the men and women behind me who chose collaboration over competition,” Renner, flanked by lawmakers, said after the hanky drop.

The Palm Harbor Golf Course will sees a rate increase in May. In 2019, 43,620 rounds of golf were played at Palm Harbor. In 2023, that number rose to 53,692. Courtesy photo

CITY WATCH

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Improvements to lighting, grading to occur at Ralph Carter Park

Ralph Carter Park, at 1385 Rymfire Drive, will be

Preserve green space, manage growth

Four months into the city’s comprehensive plan and feedback from residents shows a continued concern over development in Palm Coast.

Data and feedback from residents pointed in the same direction the City Council has heard a multitude of times from residents: Residents love and want to preserve their green spaces and are worried about the pace of development in the city and losing the city’s small-town feel. The data was gathered over the first phase of the city’s comprehensive plan update, called Imagine 2050: City on the Rise, and presented at the March 13 council workshop meeting.

Council member Theresa Carli Pontieri said the city needs to take advantage of the data presented to them through the comprehensive plan process and use that for the upcoming Strategic Action Planning sessions and for preparing the next budget.

The city also needs to listen to what the residents are saying, she said, as far as infrastructure and development goes.

“It’s not a minority of people who feel like growth is outpacing infrastructure,” Pontieri said. “This is a majority of our residents. And if we are listening to our residents, and we’re going to enact policy, and have a vision for our city — this is really what we need to focus on.”

Cities in Florida are required by state statute to adopt a comprehensive plan, which acts like a guideline and roadmap for how a city grows and develops. Palm Coast’s current comprehensive plan spanned from

The city is adjusting the angle of the field lights and adding longer bulb visors.

Palm Coast has also installed “No Parking” signs within Ralph Carter and along Rymfire Drive after receiving concerns from residents. Additional parking options will be available during nights and weekends at Rymfire Elementary School.

In May, the city will also halt field permits as it begins the process of regrading the fields, the press release said.

2004 to 2035. The plan derived from Imagine 2050 will carry the city through the next 26 years.

The city hired the consulting firm JBPro to help staff develop the plan over a 13-month period, which kicked off last October.

JBPro representatives compiled a breakdown of the feedback from residents to develop several vision statements that will guide the comprehensive plan as it is built up.

JBPro Director of Planning Kathie Ebaugh pointed out that data is still being analyzed and updated.

The JBPro staff broke down the data into five vision statements, each centered around residents’ priorities: preserving the city’s natural green spaces and small-town feel; offering an array of quality housing, jobs and recreational, retail and cultural venues; celebrating diversity and civic engagement; and prioritizing community health and safety.

City staff and the consulting team planned a variety of in-person and virtual community outreach events since October to gather that feedback. Deputy Chief Development Officer Ray Tyner said the citizen outreach does not stop with just phase one — staff and consultants will continue engaging with residents to ensure the developing ideas are on track with what residents envision.

Ebaugh said the feedback from residents showed they wanted a future of managed development growth, improved infrastructure, and increased green spaces and safety for pedestrians.

Residents were also concerned about the number of multifamily projects in the city, but, Ebaugh said, only 3% of the city’s existing land use is zoned for multifamily. Mayor David Alfin pointed out that the original plan by ITT and the first comprehensive plan had a much split of singlefamily to multifamily residents.

Tyner said the original plan was closer to around 45% single family and the remaining 55% was planned for multifamily.

“The rest of that that was going to be for other alternative multifamily, duplexes, those type of things,” he

IMAGINE 2050

Data compiled during the first phase of Imagine 2050:

164,825

the city’s projected population in 2050. Right now, it is just over 101,000.

315 additional acres of activitybased parkland that will be needed by 2050.

RESIDENT PRIORITIES

Resident feedback has been compiled into five vision statements:

„ Preserving the city’s natural green spaces and small-town feel;

„ Offering an array of quality housing, jobs and recreational;

„ Retail and cultural venues;

„ Celebrating diversity and civic engagement;

„ Prioritizing community health and safety.

said. Several members of the Palm Coast Planning Board also attended the presentation. Planning board Vice Chair Sandra Shank said part of the next steps should ensure feedback is coming from all corners of Palm Coast. Shank also said that an effort should be made to educate residents on Palm Coast’s resources and on the five Developments of Regional Impacts the city has, which have vested rights approved many years ago.

“When you see the land being cleared that doesn’t mean it was just approved yesterday or even last year,” she said. “It’s important the consultants emphasize the fact that these DRIs come with entitlements.”

The next phase of the process, Ebaugh said, is beginning to bridge the vision of where residents want the city to be and where the city is through a policy framework.

Food Truck

Tuesday returns March 19, to benefit University Women of Flagler

Palm Coast’s monthly Food Truck Tuesday series will return to Town Center on March 19, and the first night will benefit the nonprofit, the University Women of Flagler.

Food Truck Tuesday will be held the third Tuesday of every month between March and October. It takes place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Central Park at Town Center and features over a dozen food trucks at each event, a Palm Coast press release said.

Each Food Truck Tuesday night will also contribute to a local designated beneficiary that will receive a portion of the night’s proceeds, the press release said.

The University Women of Flagler is a nonprofit group of college graduates that are dedicated to advancing education opportunities for women and young women in the county. It provides scholarships to local students both attending college for the first time and for adults returning to the workforce, the press release said.

“Having the ability to encourage, support and render opportunities for those that want to further their education is something we are proud to do here locally in Flagler County and this is just one way we are able to bolster that initiative,” University Women of Flagler President Jo Dervan said.

University Women fundraises throughout the year. As of May 2023, UWF has awarded over 100 scholarships to high school graduates totaling more than $160,000, the press release said.

The next Food Truck Tuesday will be held April 16.

Palm Coast City Council member Theresa Carli Pontieri. Photo by Sierra Williams

City moves forward with St. Augustine law firm

If the Douglas Law Firm contract is approved, the firm would charge a $30,000 monthly fee.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Out of a batch of four firms, the Palm Coast City Council has moved forward with a St. Augustine-based law firm with a Flagler Beach office.

The firm, Douglas Law Firm, was established in 2013 and has 12 attorneys on staff. Of those, attorney Marcus Duffy, a Flagler County native who served for six years as a United States Air Force Judge

BRIEFS

Bill to rename A1A after Jimmy Buffett passes through Florida Legislature

A bill to rename State Road A1A after singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett has passed through the Florida Legislature.

House Bill 91 passed through both the Florida House of Representatives and Senate with unanimous votes and was ready to be presented to Gov. Ron DeSantis for approval on March 5. The bill would change the name to “Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway” for the entire Florida highway and require the Florida Department of Transportation to erect new signage with the new name by Aug. 30.

Buffett, a businessman and musician, was born in 1946 in Pascagoula, Mississippi and died of Merkel Cell skin cancer on Sept. 1, 2023. One of his best-known songs was “Margaritaville.”

Buffett went on to create the line of Margaritaville hotels and restaurants, opening locations world-wide, including eight in Florida. The bill was filed by Rep. Charles Clemons, R-District 22, which covers Levy, Gilchrist and parts of Alachua counties.

S.R. A1A — a 328-mile road that extends across the state and begins in Key West — has 72 miles of road from Flagler Beach to the north end of St. Johns County that was designated an American Byway.

New bulldozer will help pave future for students in heavy equipment program

Students in the Heavy Equipment Operations Technician program offered at Flagler Technical College and Flagler County’s two high schools will now be able to train with a bulldozer that was delivered last week to the Florida Agricultural Museum, the site of FTC’s off-campus facility.

FTC Director Renee Kirkland, Coordinator Chris McDermott and program instructor Ken Rucker joined the class on March 4 for the delivery, according to a Flagler Schools press release.

Last year, the program acquired a new wheeled skid steer for the students receiving training with various pieces of heavy equipment used in construction.

The focus of the program is to provide hands-on training to future professionals in the heavy equipment construction industry. This Career and Technical Education offering has been available to students since the 2018-19 school year, according to the press release.

“The (students) get a certification on operating each of these once they finish the program,” McDermott said.

Advocate General attorney, would be the lead attorney for Palm Coast, with two others serving as his support.

The council unanimously chose to continue negotiations with Douglas over other law firms.

The city still needs to negotiate the contract with Douglas Law Firm and will return to a future City Council meeting with a contract for the council’s approval. Douglas was one of four firms who applied for the position. The others were Fishback Dominick Attorneys and Counselors at Law, based in Winter Park, GrayRobinson, a firm with offices across Florida, and Vose Law Firm, also based in Winter Park. Fishback withdrew from con-

sideration before the March 2 meeting.

Council member Theresa Carli Pontieri asked all the attorneys who presented at a Feb. 21 special workshop whether or not they represented any developers. Douglas firm partner Jeremiah Blocker said the firm did not. The firm pitched a monthly flat-rate fee of up to $30,000. When asked if a roll-over of funds could be installed, Pontieri said the city only bills for $25,000 one month and wants to add the remaining $5,000 to the following month — Blocker said that is something the firm can do and has done with other contracts.

Pontieri said at the March 2 council meeting that the $30,000 proposed fee by

Douglas was “pretty on par” with the $29,000-$30,000 the city had been paying for the last several years.

The contract proposal also listed an hourly fee of $250 per hour, but, Blocker said, that is a contingency if the firm needs to draw in other lawyers for large litigation.

Duffy told the council on Feb. 21 that the firm has experience with multiple government contracts across multiple counties. Pontieri said at the March 2 meeting that she wanted to avoid even the appearance of conflicts of interest. Vose represents Bunnell and GrayRobinson said the firm does handle development contracts, though those are handled by separate attorneys.

Building faith strengthens our community.

•

•

•

Although we know it is coming, Easter is like a surprise as the date changes each year falling on the Sunday after the first full moon in spring. Similarly, we know He is coming again, but not when.

We celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus at Easter and it is a wonderful time to renew our commitment to follow Him and be a disciple and witness of His love for all. I am happy to exclaim, He is Risen!

Peter Bugnet, Bishop

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PUBLIC NOTICES

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

The Ormond Beach Observer meets

COPS CORNER

her mother were turning into the grocery store when they spotted the man driving past them with his gun pointed out of the window of his car. They saw the muzzle flash as the weapon was fired. Police found 10 shell casings along the eastbound lanes of Granada Boulevard. No known injuries were reported as a result of the shooting.

Chippingwood Lane, Ormond Beach Theft. Someone stole an 86-year-old Ormond Beach resident’s garden hose.

on Granada Boulevard ear a grocery store before making a U-turn and driving westbound towards Williamson Boulevard and I-95, according to the man’s arrest report. One witness told police that she and

Police detained the man in the 1600 block of Williamson Boulevard. A gun was found in his car and when police interviewed him, the man admitted he was involved in a “road rage-like” incident that he did display his firearm out of his car’s window. However, he said he didn’t fire it. He was taken to jail.

MARCH 2 WHOSE HOSE?

5:07 a.m. — First block of

The victim reported the theft to police after he awoke to the sound of running water, according to an incident report. When he went outside to investigate, he discovered his yard flooded; the thief had also removed the spigot for the hose, causing the water to flow freely.

The victim screwed the spigot back on to stop the flow of water, and then noticed a head lamp lying on the ground, which police collected for evidence. The victim valued the stolen hose at $22 and wished to press charges.

Police noted in the incident report that a garbage can was also stolen from a hair salon nearby, and that the thefts

could be related.

MARCH 7

SCHOOL YARD RUMBLE

5:33 p.m. — First block of Renshaw Drive, Palm Coast Battery. A Palm Coast man was arrested for battery after he hit his girlfriend’s ex in the face after a parent-teacher conference.

The victim and the girlfriend have a son together and were required to attend a parent-teacher conference. The suspect told deputies he was waiting for the victim after the meeting to confront him about lying, according to a Sheriff’s Office arrest report.

The victim told a Sheriff’s Office deputy that the suspect came up to him and began yelling before he pushed the victim’s face with an open hand and shoved

Single car crash on I-95 leaves one dead, one critical

A 46-year-old Hastings, Florida woman died in a single-car crash on Interstate 95 on March 9.

The woman was a passenger in a pick up truck that was headed north on the highway, according to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol. The driver, a 47-year-old man also from Hastings, is in critical condition.

The crash happened near mile marker 280 at 11 p.m. The driver was moving left into the center lane when the pick up truck began “sliding sideways,” the report said. The driver redirected the truck left and it crashed into the guardrail, flying up into the air and rolling over in the median.

The driver was taken to a hospital with severe injuries. The woman died at the scene.

him backward, knocking his hat off. The suspect later told deputies the victim had lied to him about the suspect’s girlfriend, the victim’s ex. Multiple witnesses at the school saw the argument between the two. Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested the man.

MARCH 10 BAD GOOD SAMARITAN

11:53 p.m. — 1100 block of County Road 305, Bunnell Petit theft. A man who took a wallet left at a store was arrested for stealing it, though he said he took it to return it personally.

The suspect told a police officer questioning him that he took the wallet to return to the owner at the address on the ID inside, according to his arrest report. But the suspect said he did not have time to return it himself, so he gave

One dead in motorcycle crash in Ormond Beach

An Ormond Beach man died Thursday, March 7, after a local crash involving multiple motorcycles. Ormond Beach Police report that around 11:18 p.m., officers responded to a crash at the intersection of North U.S. 1 and Nova Road after a speeding motorcycle driver collided with multiple other motorcycle that were stopped at the traffic light. Three people were transported to local hospitals. Gary Howard, 45, of Ormond Beach, died from injuries sustained in the crash.

A total of four motorcycles were damaged in the crash.

Volusia asks community for locations of AEDs

Volusia County is asking residents, businesses and other community organizations to provide the locations of their Automated External Defibril-

the wallet to his wife to return in the owner’s mailbox.

When a police officer contacted the wallet’s owner, he said there was no wallet in his mailbox. The officer then called the suspect’s wife, who said that was true, except when she knocked on the owner’s door there was no answer. Her husband then called her to come home so she left the wallet in the mailbox at an empty residence’s mailbox, with the flag flipped up so a mail carrier would stop and find it. She did not say why she did not place the wallet in the owner’s mailbox.

The wallet was not in that mailbox either and remained missing. The suspect, however, was arrested and charged with petit theft.

lators to help its Emergency Medical Administration in case of an emergency.

According to a news release, the county is aiming to ensure rapid emergency responses during sudden cardiac arrest incidents by facilitating the communication of AED locations to dispatch services, as they will be able to direct 911 callers to the devices.

Volusia County Emergency Medical Administration

Director Mark Wolcott said: “It’s about making sure that when seconds count, help is directed where it’s most needed, with precision.”

The county asks AED device holders to frequently inspect their equipment. The maintenance should include verifying the functionality of batteries, ensuring the availability and condition of pediatric and adult pads, and maintaining a stock of cleaning wipes. Contact Wolcott at mwolcott@volusia.org or at 386740-5201.

Volusia Beach Safety director resigns

After 28 years working with the county, Chief Andrew Ethridge submitted his twoweek’s notice on Saturday, March 9.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Volusia County’s Beach Safety director is resigning, effective March 22.

Chief Andrew Ethridge submitted his two-week’s notice to Volusia County Public Protection Director Mark Swanson on Saturday, March 9. Ethridge, who began working as a lifeguard on Volusia County beaches in 1996, was promoted to director of Beach Safety in 2021.

“After spending 28 years in public service, I have decided it is time to move on to other opportunities,” Ethridge wrote in his letter of resignation. “This past year present-

CRIME REPORT

Found remains belong to missing Ormond teen

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit has positively identified the human remains found in an Ormond Beach-area mobile home park on Feb. 28 as those of Autumn Lane McClure, a local teen who went missing 20 years ago.

McClure, who was 16 at the time of her disappearance on May 10, 2004, was discovered to have been staying with a

ed unprecedented challenges and caused us to reinvent the Beach Safety Division. The work that was done to move our agency toward the future and our newly defined mission was difficult but rewarding.”

Last year, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office took over law enforcement duties on Volusia County beaches. This was a result of Gov. Ron DeSantis signing House Bill 1595 into law, which gave sheriff’s offices in the state the authority to patrol unincorporated areas.

“I worked diligently to ensure the Volusia County Beach Safety Division will stay in a position to provide the high level of service our citizens and visitors have come to expect,” Ethridge wrote. “My work here is done.” Without law enforcement duties, Beach Safety division is responsible for managing the beach, providing lifeguard and emergency medical services to beachgoers.

couple who lived in Shady Oaks mobile home park, located at 1320 Hand Ave.

The suspect in her murder, Brian Christopher Donley Jr., is believed to have strangled McClure because she wished to go home. Donley died at 49 years old in 2022. McClure’s remains were found underneath a trailer in the mobile home park.

VSO reported on Thursday, March 7, that its Crime Scene Unit personnel and a rapid DNA scientist developed a profile from DNA extracted from the recovered bones, which was then compared to DNA samples from McClure’s family members.

Ethridge said in his letter that he had “an incredible career with Beach Safety” and will cherish the memories made. In January, Beach Safety was named the 2023 Beach Patrol of the Year by the Florida Beach Patrol Chiefs Association, highlighting the 2,512 water rescues and 35,811 preventive actions performed in 2023.

The agency also responded to 1,162 medical emergencies and addressed 41,272 calls for service on the 47-mile stretch of beach in Volusia.

“There truly is nothing that compares to performing water rescues,” Ethridge said in his letter. “Pulling a victim out of a rip current and breathing life back into them while they fight for their life is nothing short of amazing.I could not have asked for a better team of people to work with, and I will miss them the most; they are true professionals who are dedicated to their craft.”

Flagler deputy arrests immigrant with nationwide warrant

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has apprehended a Mexican man living in the U.S. illegally with a nationwide warrant out for his arrest. The man, German Altamirano-Hernandez, was pulled over by a FCSO deputy on March 7 at the I-95 on ramp on Palm Coast Parkway when the FCSO Real Time Crime Center identified his van’s tag as stolen from South Carolina. Altamirano-Hernandez presented a fake Mexican ID card under a different name to the deputy as identification, according to a FCSO

Palm Coast family displaced after fire

Resident

Cindy

Newton is trying to find a place for her family of eight to live.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

A Palm Coast family of eight is looking for a new home after a fire destroyed their rental home’s garage and spread soot and smoke throughout the home.

Cindy Newton and her partner Luke Paulsen lived at the home in the F Section for four years with their six kids: Ava, 16, Tyler, 11, Logan, 8, Maddie, 7, Sophia, 4, Lukas, 2. Most of the family had gone to sleep on Feb. 29 when loud pops sounded from the garage.

Paulsen was awake in the living room at the time and opened the connecting garage door to see the cause of the noise. That is when he saw the garage was engulfed in flames, Newton said.

press release. The deputy contacted U.S. Border Patrol for facial recognition, which pulled Altamirano-Hernandez’s real name. Altamirano-Hernandez has been previously deported from the U.S. multiple times, the press release said.

FCSO resources also identified him as a fugitive of Lee County since 2002.

The warrant for Lee County is for driving with a suspended license, and the nationwide warrant is for illegal entry into the U.S., the press release said. A search of the suspect’s van turned up a duffle bag in the trunk with multiple fake IDs, including a Mexican passport, a U.S. Social Security

“Everybody was asleep and then shortly after that I heard screaming,” she said. “I mean, frantic screaming — like, ‘Fire! Oh my god!’ — from Luke.”

She said she got the kids out through a window while Paulsen attempted to pour water on the flames. Something exploded as he did, burning Paulsen across his head, face, neck chest and arms.

Newton said he spent five days in a trauma center. Now, he is home and healing and the family is trying to figure out their next moves.

Their house is unlivable, she said, with fire, smoke and water damage. The family will have to dump almost everything in the home, she said.

Courtney Taylor, a neighbor and friend of the family who let them stay in their home for the first week, created a GoFundMe for the family.

Newton said she has already had many people reach out with donations of furniture, beds and clothes, but have

card, a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident Alien Card, and two Mexican Consular Cards issued from both California and Florida, the press release said. Altamirano-Hernandez was arrested and taken to the county jail where he is being held without bond.

Ormond man arrested for child, animal pornography

Volusia County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 55-year-old Ormond Beach man on 23 counts of possession of child pornography and four counts of possession of pornography involving animals on Thurs-

nowhere to put them. They’re working on getting a storage unit for the larger donations, she said.

Newton said her first priority is finding a new place for the family to live, and Chiumento CARES — a fund established at the Chiumento Law Firm to help end student homelessness — is working with her to connect her to local realtors while the family stays with Paulsen’s brother. But when asked what it is her family needs, she said she would love for her kids to have some toys to get them through this time.

It’s difficult, she said, knowing they do not have their own things and have to watch other kids play with their toys.

“They don’t have anything,” she said. “It’s just tough and I hate asking for [something] that might be petty to somebody ... but they don’t have anything.”

To donate, visit https://bit. ly/3VdUc9m.

day, March 7. The arrest of Lewis Herring was a result of a cyber tip to the VSO Child Exploitation Unit from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to a Facebook post by VSO. Detectives then executed a search warrant and recovered numerous items of evidence. Herring is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail with a total bond of $540,000.

VSO asks that anyone with information about this or any case of child pornography or exploitation contact the VSO Child Exploitation Unit at 386323-3574.

A community grand opening celebration will be held on April 13.

A year and a half after beginning construction, Palm Coast United Methodist Church held its first Sunday worship service on March 3 at its new campus at 6500 Belle Terre Parkway, coinciding with a congregational grand opening celebration.

The church is planning a community grand opening at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 13, with a ribbon cutting, games, prizes and special guests including city and county officials and local clergy.

“We’re going to make it a grand affair,” said Dan Maxwell, chair of the church’s new campus committee.

Lead Pastor Kevin James said they didn’t want to hold

the community celebration right away because you need “to learn where the light switches are before you invite guests to visit your house.”

Rev. James said the turnout for the congregational celebration was beyond expectations.

“We planned for 350 people, and we had an estimated 550 to 600 people attend. It was a wonderful, worshipful atmosphere,” he said.

The celebration included performances by the church’s handbell choir, a BethuneCookman University ensemble, the Voices of Faith choir and the Praise Band.

At just over 25,000 square feet, the new facility is not much bigger than the old church, about 4 miles to the south at 5200 Belle Terre Parkway, but the design is modern and multifunctional, said Jim Gary, chair of the church’s board of trustees.

The new campus committee worked with Building

God’s Way architectural services, Maxwell said.

The sanctuary has portable seating and can be used as a banquet hall. The sanctuary, main lobby and other rooms can be rented out. The church school, which is expected to be ready in a few weeks, has six classrooms.

“It’s much more functional (than the school at the old church),” Gary said, “because the classrooms are all together. Each classroom has its own bathroom.”

The Palm Coast United Methodist Church was founded in 1979 in a former YMCA. The church was chartered on Dec. 19, 1980 and groundbreaking at 5200 Belle Terre Parkway was held a month later with the first service held in the building on June 20, 1982.

The new church “is a different type of cosmetic gathering space,” Rev. James said. “We wanted to build today’s church for the future.”

Parkview audiorium to open for Easter

The grand opening of the new building also sets off the next leg of the church’s expansion.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Parkview Church Palm Coast is ready to unveil its new 700seat auditorium building for Easter weekend.

Parkview broke ground on the new auditorium building in the fall of 2022. Parkview Communications Director Cassandra Hartman said the old auditorium has just 400 seats but the church has been averaging 1,500 people over the course of its four weekend services.

They have had to place seats in the lobby for people to watch the service on TVs there, she said.

“It’s incredible,” Hartman said. “But at the same time, our need for this new building has never been greater.”

Easter falls on the last weekend of March, and Parkview will be hosting five services between March 29 and 31: 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 29; 4 and 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 30; a special sunrise service a 7 a.m. in addition to their regular 9 and 11 a.m. services on Sunday, March 31.

Parkview’s Easter Egg -

BRIEFS

Flagler County Tax Collector personnel receives Narcan training

stravaganza egg hunt will be on Saturday after each service for kids up to 5th graders. The egg hunt will be held indoors, Hartman said, so will be unaffected by any inclement weather.

Every year, Parkview makes a big deal of the Easter services, she said, but this year is especially exciting because of the auditorium opening. It also launches the next stage of Parkview’s construction projects, she said.

The auditorium expansion is the first part of Parkview’s Greater Campaign, Hartman said. The next step is four smaller projects on Parkview Palm Coast’s campus: installing an indoor playground, adding a large, covered pavilion, expanding the parking on campus and building a seated outdoor patio area.

The construction will hopefully finish in 2024 for all four projects, she said, or early 2025 at the latest.

The expanded parking area

The Flagler County Drug Court Foundation HOPE (Helping Our Participants Excel) provided Narcan training and distribution to staff of the Flagler County Tax Collector’s Office on Feb. 19 at the Flagler County Emergency Operations Center building.

is already under construction and will had 86 new spots. The playground area, Hartman said, will be installed in the lobby of the old auditorium area and will feature a cafe for parents.

“It will be kind of like at Chick-fil-A or McDonalds when they used to have indoor playgrounds,” she said.

The old auditorium will also become the home of Parkview’s Family Ministries. The patio and pavilion areas will help out for the church’s larger events as well.

Hartman said Parkview is very aware it, and Palm Coast in general, has a growing population of younger families, and these changes reflect that.

“We want to make sure that with the growth of Palm Coast that we as a church are keeping up with that in the way that we minister to our people,” she said.

“Shelly Edmonson (Tax Collector operations manager) sought us out,” said the foundation’s Renee DeAngelis. “She said they have 100,000 people a year who come through their office and they should be prepared for an emergency.”

Narcan is a medication that reverses an opioid overdose.

Flagler Fire Rescue deemed ‘outstanding’ in inspection

Flagler County Fire Rescue passed its annual inspection conducted by the Florida Health Department with flying colors and was twice referred to as “outstanding” in the notification letter.

“We have a wonderful staff that takes care to ensure the best for our residents,” said County Administrator Heidi Petito. “It is especially gratifying when other agencies acknowledge that in their inspection reports of our departments.”

“This inspection letter makes me very proud of the team,” said Fire Rescue Chief Michael Tucker. “I know they are always going above and beyond to do their best, but it’s nice when others recognize it too.”

Jim Gary, Rev. Teresa Waters, Larry Torino, Beverly Patrick, Rev. Durwood

and Linda James hold on to the ribbon at the congregational grand opening

Callaway makes the official cut. Courtesy photo

A rendering of the new Parkview auditorium building.

BUSINESS OBSERVER

Peruvian restaurant Sazón de Peru now open in Palm Coast

Sazón de Peru opened on Friday, March 8, and offer extensive menu of Peruvian dishes.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

When husband and wife William Delgado and Fanny Quinto were getting their new Peruvian restaurant, Sazon de Peru, ready to open, many Spanish-speaking people would stop in. Many people who couldn’t speak Spanish did too.

“A lot of people asked us about the dishes (in Spanish), Quinto said. “A lot of American people too. They say, ‘We love Peruvian food.’ They came here to ask when are we going to open.”

Sazon de Peru replaced the

former Millenium Bistro at 9 Palm Harbor Village Way, Suite G. The new restaurant opened on Friday, March 8.

It’s the culmination of a lifelong dream for Delgado. “This is the dream of my husband, not me exactly,”

Quinto said. “But I try to help him because he’s always dreamed of opening a Peruvian restaurant, and there isn’t a Peruvian restaurant in Palm Coast. We are the first one, so we’re here for everybody who’s coming to taste the dishes of Peru.”

The couple moved to Palm Coast from New Jersey three years ago, Quinto said. Neither has previous restaurant experience, she said. Delgado was a truck driver and Quinto is an esthetician, specializing in skin care.

“His family, they all love to cook,” Quinto said. “That’s why (opening a restaurant) is his dream.”

Delgado and Christiano da Silva are the chefs. They are planning to be open seven days a week — 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday

and Saturday and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. They have an extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. Their specialties include leche de tigre — a cocktail of finely chopped fish marinated in lime juice, garlic, cilantro and red onions garnished with Peruvian corn and roasted corn; arroz de mariscos — rice with calamari, shrimp, octopus and mussels; and jalea — fried seafood platter with limemarinated salad.

They also serve chaufas (Peruvian fried rice dishes), lomo saltado (stir-fried beef tenderloin) and other beef, chicken and seafood dishes. And, they have empanadas and a variety of baked goods prepared daily and displayed in a glass case on the front counter.

Flagler Habitat for Humanity, United Way create new endowment fund

A local philanthropist has agreed to match the first $50,000 in contributions for the endowment fund.

OBSERVER STAFF

Habitat for Humanity Flagler, Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties have partnered to create a new endowment fund to help support Habitat’s mission.

Organization representatives announced the creation of the Flagler Habitat for Humanity Endowment Fund at the open house event Habitat held on March 12 at its Palm Coast Habitat Restore, a Habitat for Humanity press release said. A local philanthropist agreed to kickstart the fund by matching the first $50,000 in contributions

“We are incredibly excited about the creation of this endowment,” said Lindsay Elliott, executive director at Habitat for Humanity. “This fund will enable us to expand

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING CITY OF BUNNELL, FLORIDA

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE CITY OF BUNNELL, FLORIDA will hold a Public Hearing as authorized by law at 7:00 P.M. on the 25 th day of March 2024, for the purpose of First Reading of Ordinance 2024-07, before the City Commission, in the Chambers Meeting Room of the Flagler County Government Services Building (GSB) located at 1769 East Moody Blvd, Bunnell, Florida 32110.

ORDINANCE 2024-07

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BUNNELL, FLORIDA AMENDING THE CITY OF BUNNELL LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE; PROVIDING FOR AMENDMENT TO SECTION 18-52 WETLANDS; PROVIDING FOR AMENDMENT TO VARIOUS SECTIONS WITHIN CHAPTER 34 – ZONING; PROVIDING FOR LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTING PROVISIONS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND APPLICABILITY; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION AND PROVIDING 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-to-date 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

our mission and provide the financial stability we need to support our efforts in this community.”

This fund is designed to grow through community donations and investments, with the interest generated annually being used to fund the construction of new homes, repair projects and Habitat’s homeowner education programs, the press release said.

“We are proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity in their mission to create affordable housing opportunities

for families in Flagler County,” said Courtney Edgcomb president and CEO of Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties.

With the need for affordable housing even greater than ever, Flagler’s Habitat Restore have also adapted their business models over recent years to better support the nonprofit’s mission.

General Manager Paul Hunt said the last several years have caused a shift in the thrift store industry, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. When people were sent to work at

home, he said, they began to really look at the space they were and the need for high quality, gently-used furniture increased.

Because of the demand and the economic changes that have increased operational costs, Hunt said, the Habitat Restore business model had to adapt to continue support its nonprofit’s missions.

“If we didn’t [change], we couldn’t build four or five houses a year,” he said.

Those interested can visit bit.ly/CFHabitat to donate to the endowment fund.

New boutique to open in Ormond

Port Orange resident Kate Bell announces her new Chuckle & Bliss boutique, located at the Gaslamp Shoppes on Granada.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Kate Bell always dreamed of opening her own boutique.

Later this month, she will be celebrating her dream come true with the grand opening of Chuckle & Bliss, located within the Gaslamp Shoppes on Granada at 54 E. Granada Blvd. in Ormond Beach. Offering clothing, accessories and gifts, Bell, of Port Orange, hopes her boutique will become a fun destination for both locals and visitors in search of new outfits.

“I feel like women of all ages can come in here,” Bell said. “I think I have something that suits the younger girls. I have something that suits moms like myself — we like to dress up every once in a while, do something special and have a special outfit. I’m trying to cater to that.”

Fashion has been a part of Bell’s life for a long time. She graduated from college with a degree in fashion merchandising and retail, attended the Paris Fashion Institute for a summer and worked at the first Kenneth Cole boutique in the Upper West Side in New York City fresh out of college. Her boutique will have sayings on the wall that represent her views on fashion. One says, “Forget the rules, if you like it, wear it.” Another says, “Life is too short to wear boring clothes.”

“I just like that with fashion, you can express yourself through your clothes,” Bell said. “That’s always been fun to me.” She had been looking for a home for her boutique last year when local business owner Angela Heaster approached her in August and asked if she would be interested in taking over the space. Heaster had opened Gaslamp Gift Gallery in 2015 and was ready to close up shop.

Originally, Bell was looking for retail space in Port Orange, but she said she didn’t find an area in town that fit what she envisioned. Bell works with her husband’s family business — a sign company — but while she enjoys the work, the boutique is “hers.”

“This is something that I did from the ground up, which is really cool,” she said. The name of her boutique also pays tribute to her two sons, Carter and Bryson.

“I started looking for upbeat, positive words that use their initials,” Bell said. “So that’s how Chuckle & Bliss was born.”

The grand opening for Chuckle and Bliss is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 23. Bell plans to offer mimosas and desserts from Wild Rabbit Bistro, located a few doors down from the boutique.

Sazon de Peru owners Fanny Quinto and William Delgado. Photo by Brent Woronoff

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

Flagler beachfront home sells for over $1.2

Amillion

house across A1A in Flagler Beach was the top real estate transaction for Jan. 18-24 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. Scott and Steffi Keller, of Marianna, sold 2112 S. Ocean Shore Blvd. to David and Eunice Clasbey, of Flagler Beach, for $1,275,000. Built in 2022, the house is a 3/2 and has two half baths and 2,902 square feet.

PALM COAST Arlington John and Cynthia Carroll, of Palm Coast, sold 15 Mount Vernon Lane to Todd McKelvey, of Overland Park, Kansas, for $485,000. Built in 1995, the house is a 4/2 and has a fireplace, a pool and 2,219 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $289,900.

Indian Trails Beata Stevens, of Palm Coast, sold 9 Burnet Place to Robert Ruiz and Teresa Hampton, of Palm Coast, for $320,000. Built in 1997, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,731 square feet. It sold in 1997 for $7,000.

Lehigh Woods Florida Sun Partners II, LLC, of Orlando, sold 112 Roxboro Drive to Thomas Rogers, Elisa Rogers and Arnold Eugene Rogers, of Palm Coast, for $438,000. Built in 2023, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,306 square feet.

Matanzas Woods

Ronald and Brenda Morris, of Parker, Colorado, sold 4 Lewis Shire Way to Olesya Garniza, of Palm Coast, for $575,000. Built in 2006,

the house is a 5/3.5 and has a pool, a hot tub and 3,288 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $512,000.

Palm Harbor

Paul and Joyce Addis, of Griffin, Georgia, sold 31 Coleridge Court to Michael Scruggs and Cynthia Sue Scruggs, of Palm Coast, for $960,000. Built in 2001, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool, a hot tub, a fireplace, a dock, a boat house and 3,408 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $650,000.

Pine Lakes

Eugene and Dawn Dowd, of Palm Coast, sold 4 Wakeshire Place to Dennis and Shari Buster, of East Bethel, Minnesota, for $367,000. Built in 1989, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,516 square feet. It sold in 2014 for $154,000.

Sawmill Branch

D.R. Horton Inc., of St. Johns, sold 26 Lumber Jack Trail to Morgan Paige Davis and Dominik Davis, of Palm Coast, for $424,000. Built in 2023, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,363 square feet.

Sawmill Creek

Lisa Evelyn Edwards and John Michael Edwards, of Whitestown, Indiana, sold 11 Rivertown Road to Joshua Jacobs, of St. Augustine, for $379,000. Built in 2020, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,864 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $254,900.

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

Breakaway Trails home tops sales list in Ormond

Ahouse in Breakaway Trails was the top real estate transaction for Jan. 28 to Feb. 3 in Ormond Beach and Ormond-by-the-Sea. Patricia Frederick, of Ormond Beach, sold 48 Winding Creek Way to Ruth DelToro Velat, as trustee, for $745,000. Built in 1990, the house is a 4/3.5 and has a pool, a fireplace and 3,538 square feet. It sold in 1992 for $241,000.

ALEXIS MILLER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Condos Edward and Lisa Hill, of Ormond Beach, sold 3360 Ocean Shore Blvd., Unit 3050, to Preston and Lorie Aust, of Iowa Falls, Iowa, for $290,000. Built in 1983, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,275 square feet. It sold in 2013 for $150,000.

Charles Phillips, Jr. and Lara Dana Phillips, of Warrenton, Virginia, sold 3370 Ocean Shore Blvd., Unit 1030, to William Andrew Cahill, Jr. and Linda Anne Cahill, of Cape Coral, for $200,000. Built in 1987, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,275 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $270,000.

ORMOND BEACH

Breakaway Trails

David and Kathleen Lusby, of Ormond Beach, sold 21 Forest View Way to Malav and Leena Patel, of Ormond Beach, for $630,000. Built in 1988, the house is a 4/3 and has a fireplace, a pool and 2,837 square feet. It sold in 2001 for $275,000.

Charleston Square

Marnie Marie Junker and Richard John Shingledecker, of Ormond Beach, sold 12

Charleston Square to Megan Brianna Moore and Connor Steven Blair, of Ormond Beach, for $299,000. Built in 1985, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace, a hot tub and 1,472 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $270,000.

Halifax Plantation

James and Christine Thompson, of Ormond Beach, sold 3448 Acoma Drive to George Duvall and Jane Maureen Duvall, of Ormond Beach, for $555,000. Built in 2004, the house is a 3/2 and has 2,419 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $380,000.

Hickory Village Jeremy Reidenberg, LLC, of Ormond Beach, sold 38 Aaron Circle to Taylor Hengesbach, of Ormond Beach, for $382,900. Built in 1985, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,925 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $250,000.

Sherris

Sarah Anne Mancuso and Laurie Marie Mancuso, of Ormond Beach, sold 591 Andrews St. to Jennifer Maymo and Jason Blaney, of Ormond beach, for $355,000. Built in 1984, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,482 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $212,000.

Spring Meadows

Kathleen Gorman, of Forty Fort, Pennsylvania, sold 41 Spring Meadows Drive to David and Kathleen Lusby, of Ormond Beach, for $435,000. Built in 2000, the house is a 3/2 and has 2,186 square feet. It sold in 2000 for $147,900.

Tomoka Oaks

Bruce Davis, as trustee, sold 78 North St. Andrews Drive to Mary Sarah Williams, of Ormond Beach, for $335,000. Built in 1967, the house is a 4/2.5 and has a fireplace and 2,276 square feet. It sold in 1993 for $137,600.

ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA

Ocean Shores

Glenn and Deborah Loftain, of Ormond Beach, sold 1655 John Anderson Drive to Richard and Carrie Vondrus, of Ormond Beach, for $520,000. Built in 1971, the house is a 2/2 and has a hot tub and 2,041 square feet. It sold in 2023 for $470,000.

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

PALM

From the publisher’s desk

‘Bomb’ turned out to be just a delivery of Observer newspapers

Explosive? Yes, but not in a bad way, fortunately.

Office posted this breaking news on its Facebook page: “There is a heavy law enforcement presence outside the Kim C. Hammond Justice Center, as FCSO and the Bunnell Police Department are looking into a suspicious incident. The courthouse parking lot is closed at this time. Please avoid the area.”

BRIAN MCMILLAN PUBLISHER

A suspicious package was delivered. The bomb squad was called. The courthouse was shut down.

All for a bundle of newspapers.

Yes, the March 7 edition of the Palm Coast Observer was eventually exploded as a training exercise. To my knowledge, it is the first time a bundle of Observers has ever been exploded.

“Usually you deliver the news, this time you made the news,” Sheriff Rick Staly said.

It all started with a lack of communication with a new driver. When bundles of newspapers are delivered after hours on Wednesday nights, they are sometimes placed in kitchen-size garbage bags first, to protect them from the weather. This time, it happened to be an opaque gray, scented garbage bag, which made it appear suspicious. In addition, this bundle (actually three bundles) is normally delivered to the Government Services Building, 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Building 2. However, the delivery list didn’t include the building number, and so instead, the delivery was made to the courthouse, known as the Hammond Justice Center, at 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Building 1.

Therefore, the early morning security review flagged the delivery as suspicious.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s

Not long after, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad arrived to investigate the suspicious rectangular package in a black garbage bag.

That’s when I got a call from Sheriff Rick Staly, asking me if I knew anything about this suspicious package. I said it was a new driver who likely put a bundle in front of the wrong door. That was the same story told by the new driver himself, so the clues were pointing in the same direction.

Emergency Operations Chief Jonathan Lord, who is out of state at a training, got a text from his team also, letting him know that there had been a bomb threat due to a bag

left outside the courthouse, which is just a few hundred yards from the EOC. Then, the ominous follow-up text from his EOC team revealed there might be a second suspicious package: “We have a bag, too,” Lord was told.

But when they texted Lord a photo of the bag, he thought it was probably the newspaper delivery. Immediately, Lord’s staff came to the same conclusion. Lord recalled: “As I’m replying, he says, ‘Nevermind, we figured out it’s the newspaper.’”

At 9:45 a.m., FCSO posted an update on Facebook: “The suspicious package has been rendered safe. The area is being cleared and courthouse operations are expected to be back to normal within the hour. ALL CLEAR”

Staly called me again with an update: the Bomb Squad had taken the opportunity to turn the incident into a training exercise, and the bundle of newspapers had been “exploded.”

While the incident was rich in irony — because of course the

Observer is metaphorically explosive in a good way every week, right? — it also caused a lot of work by our first responders, not to mention stress and fear for all who work at the courthouse, as well as the new driver. As Staly said in a Facebook post: “Fortunately, this was a false alarm, but it still shows that our security protocols and training worked perfect in the event this had been proven to be a real danger. I commend our Communications Center, Real Time Crime Center, and everyone involved to ensure the safety of our judges, courthouse staff, and citizens.”

I apologize for the lack of training and communication that led to this happening. Lessons were learned, and we will do better at training new drivers. We appreciate everyone who reviewed the security footage and responded to make sure that our community is safe.

And, no, this is not an April Fool’s article (unfortunately). Email brian@observerlocalnews. com.

Ask the mayor

‘Why can’t the city divert revenues to more urgent priorities?’

“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 Brian McMillan, brian@observerlocalnews.com

OBO Managing Editor Jarleene Almenas, jarleene@observerlocalnews.com

Associate Editor Brent Woronoff, brent@observerlocalnews.com

Staff Writer Sierra Williams, sierra@observerlocalnews.com

Design Manager Hailey McMillan, hailey@observerlocalnews.com

Director of Engagement Kaitlyn Stier, kstier@observerlocalnews.com

Senior Media Specialist Susan Moore, susan@observerlocalnews.com

Operations Manager Bonnie Hamilton, bonnie@observerlocalnews.com

SUBSCRIBE

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EVENTS

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LETTERS

Send letters to brian@ observerlocalnews.com.

Locally Owned / Publishers of the Palm Coast Observer McMillan Ink LLC

50 Leanni Way, Unit C3 Palm Coast, FL 32137

VETERAN OF THE WEEK

ers, higher levels of government, through constitutional provisions or by enabling legislation.

DAVID ALFIN PALM COAST MAYOR

A recent question from a resident, followed by Mayor David Alfin’s response:

“The city keeps saying they have no money to pay for certain projects. Then I see they have plenty of money to pay for others. Why can’t they divert money from one fund to another? Are there state rules about this? Can’t the council just put it to a vote?”

Funding questions about different city projects are common. Answers may by complex, but I’ll try my best.

Palm Coast has several revenues that are “restricted” to specific purposes by grantors, bondhold-

LETTERS

Matanzas theater group delivered a great show

Dear Editor: On March 2, at the invitation of some good friends, my wife and I saw “Mama Mia!”, at the Matanzas High School Theater. I must admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect. My last recollection of high school plays was from the small high schools in tiny towns in upstate New York, where I grew up and later attended events in my sons’ school. With all due respect to those performers, I just don’t recall them being that memorable. What I seem to remember were kids putting in a good amateur effort, and if it was a musical, they lip synched to a soundtrack.

That is not what I saw from The Pirate Players at Matanzas.

From the very start of the play, the audience was dazzled by a very

The city also has “committed” revenues that represent amounts constrained to specific purposes by our city, using City Council. Amounts cannot be used for any other purpose unless the city takes the highest-level action to remove or change the constraint.

There are numerous “Restriction Imposing Bodies” in Florida (those who can impose restrictions on how we spend our money), depending on the revenue resource. Florida Statutes establish guidelines for use of taxes and impact fee revenues. State, federal or local government grantors establish restriction for grant revenues. When a city undertakes a loan, revenues identified in the loan agreement become pledged revenues and are restricted for debt payment. City Council can commit certain revenues for specific purposes, but it is not their common practice.

Revenues whose funds are restricted include:

well-rehearsed professional production. There was no lip synching; it was live, and the singers were excellent. Stars in the making. I was pleasantly in awe of just how exceptional they were. I hasten to single out any particular performer because the whole troupe was so superb. The commitment to their craft and hard work that went into the show was evident. They have so much to be proud of. My eyes have been opened to another group of amazingly talented young people that we have attending the high schools right here in Palm Coast. If, like me, you’ve avoided high school theater because of preconceived notions, I encourage you to be surprised and impressed by the superior entertainment offered by The Pirate Players at Matanzas High School. You will not be disappointed!

DAVID LYDON Bunnell

1. Street Improvement Federal Tax – six cents per gallon in Flagler County, restricted for transportation expenditures.

2. Streets Improvement State Revenue Sharing – portion of state sales and use tax collections, along with a one-cent municipal fuel tax. A portion of the municipal revenue sharing is derived from fuel tax so there is a requirement that a certain portion of the municipal revenue be dedicated to transportation expenditures. The remaining portion is used in the general fund as it is considered unrestricted revenue.

3. SR100 Community Redevelopment Agency – taxes restricted only to support redevelopment in the CRA (e.g., Town Center).

4. Enterprise Fund Restrictions –Water/Wastewater and Stormwater Management Funds can only be used to maintain the system or their debt service; Building Permit Fund can only be used for building and permitting costs. To those who are interested in our budgeting funds, please know that every year, we schedule several

Thanks to teachers who helped middle school allcounty band

Dear Editor: (Editor’s note: Stephen Wilcox is a member of Boy Scout Troop 400. He submitted this letter as one of the requirements for the Communications merit badge.)

In February, we performed the concert for the middle school All County Band. It is where they get some band students from the schools of Flagler County; we had three rehearsals, one lasting up to six hours. The people who taught us were the band teachers of different far away schools and they all knew each other. We learned a multitude of songs which were “How to Train Your Dragon,” “The March of Freedom,” “Train Heading West,” and “Two Celtic Tunes.” All of these songs we had never played before. At the beginning, a lot of us did pretty well, but they helped us all get better at playing the songs.

budget workshops and presentations that address the specific projects being presented to council. Residents are encouraged to attend these presentations to better understand how our funds are spent. I think residents will find that we approach long-term planning comprehensively, analyzing usages within authorized purposes and adopting council priorities. Our Finance Department has also recently established a Finance Transparency Dashboard. It’s a comprehensive view of our total financial landscape. You can view our revenue streams, expenditures and budget allocations and it’s updated weekly. It’s available on our website.

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are solely that of the author in his personal capacity and do not necessarily represent the opinions or the views of the city of Palm Coast or the Palm Coast City Council.

On the first day we went to Buddy Taylor Middle School, and it lasted for about two hours. Everyone there was mainly sight reading it. It felt really cool being able to be in this special opportunity. When we finally performed on the stage a few rehearsals later, it was a little stressful, but everyone I heard from said it sounded super good, and I also thought it did. I feel lucky to live in this county with all these amazing band teachers. It was so nice of them to make this experience for us. They were all super cool. It was a super good opportunity, and if anyone is in band and is able to participate in it, they should.

STEPHEN WILCOX

Palm Coast

Send letters to brian@observer localnew.com. Include first and last name, as well as city of residence. Editor may alter the letter for clarity and/or length.

John Sisak

 Branch of military: U.S. Navy

 Dates of service: 1973-1980

 Rank/occupation: Petty Officer 2nd Class / Storekeeper

 Hometown: Buffalo, New York

John Sisak enlisted in the U.S. Navy and went to boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois. Among his assignments were Navy Training Center San Diego, Port Huememe, California, as well as an amphibious construction battalion in New York. Sisak’s last assignment was at the former Navy recruit training base in Orlando.

He received the Navy Rifle Marksmanship ribbon and the National Defense Service Medal and was discharged honorably for his dutiful service to the nation. Sisak earned bachelor’s degrees in accounting and sociology using the G.I. Bill. He worked for the U.S. Post Office for 32 years, 10 of which were in the headquarters in Washington D.C. as a financial analyst. He and his wife, Deborah, of 30 years moved to Palm Coast in 2012. They have six children and 11 grandchildren. Sisak is enjoying his retirement with his many interests: boating, fishing, cycling and just being in nature.

NEED HELP WITH VETERAN

SERVICES? For information about benefits and support organizations for veterans, call 386-313-4014.

Sheriff Rick Staly and his team responded in a mobile unit outside the courthouse. Courtesy photo

YOUR NEIGHBORS

A berry good time

Palm Coast residents had a “berry” good time at the seventh annual Strawberry Festival over the March 9 weekend.

The festival, put on by Buckler Shows, ran from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 9 and 10 at Central Park in Town Center. It featured bounce houses, axe throwing, pony rides, mechanical bull riding, vendor booths with local businesses, food, music and, of course, strawberries.

Pablo & Sons Farms in Plant City provided strawberres that festivalgoers could purchase. Residents were also able to try out strawberry shortcake as they enjoyed the festival.

Buckler Shows has its next Strawberry Festival in Lake Helen, Florida.

–SIERRA WILLIAMS

Flagler’s first Read Across Flagler Literacy Night showcases new author

Orlando-based Amar Shah said his book, ‘The Hoop Con,’ teaches kids that nothing is impossible, so long as they keep trying.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Flagler Schools hosted its first Literacy Night at Town Center to help promote reading in Flagler County.

Literacy Night was, in part, held to celebrate the school system’s media center specialists, said Celeste Ackerman, the Flagler Schools supervisor of media and the secondary English Language Arts curriculum specialist. The March 7 event was a joint effort with input of all of the schools in the district as part of Read Across Flagler, which promotes reading in Flagler County, she said. She hopes it is the first of many Literacy Nights to come.

“We wanted to ... offer an opportunity for families from across our district, community members to come out and join us,” Ackerman said. “... This is a great way to show-

case all the amazing things [media specialists] do and bring in reading and make it a districtwide thing.”

The event held multiple tables from the county’s schools and local clubs, and Flagler Schools also handed out free books to families, as well as a show from a performance artist Banks Helfrich, known as the Jiggleman, and a presentation from Orlando-based author Amar Shah.

Shah was present at Literacy Night to talk about his first published book, “The Hoop Con,” and what it is like being an author. “The Hoop Con,” published by Scholastic Inc. on March 5, is the first in a trilogy that Shah is writing.

The book follows the story of Raam Patel, who wants to prove himself after failing to get on his middle school’s basketball team.

Shah said he’s always wanted to be an author, and he decided to write a story that children in the middle

grades could relate to, and that his own children would like to read.

His book, he said, teaches kids that nothing is impossible, so long as they keep trying.

“The most important thing is to continue at it. You are going to face rejection, you’re going to face anguish and disappointment, but it’s about continuing to persist,” he said. “You have to believe in yourself.

The sequel, “Take the Shot,” comes out in October.

PROBLEM SOLVERS

Several of the tables at Literacy Night showcased student works or organizations, including the Indian Trails Middle School Future Problem Solvers, which held a bake sale to both help raise awareness about dementia and the neurodegenerative disorder Alzheimer’s disease and also to raise money for their trip to Orlando on March 11 and 12 for a statewide Future Problem Solvers competition. The group managed to raise $350, according to Nicole Castello, mother of one of the students.

The group of five students — Katelyn Castello, Priya Vargas, Anthony Demaio, Bella Glasco and Mackenzie MacDonald — chose their project because of its personal impact. Vargas said she, MacDonald and their teacher have family with Alheimer’s.

They’ve visited multiple care facilities as part of their project, Glasco said. The students said they were excited for the opportunity to spread awareness and teach others more about the illness.

Nicki Hollis, Annabelle Machado and Isaiah Jack volunteered at Flagler Reads for the Flagler Palm Coast High School Student Government Association.

Performance artist Banks Helfrich.

Kristia Frank and Louise Bossardet with Flagler Schools handed out free books to families who attended Flagler Reads.

Siblings Adam, 9, and Mila, 7, Mendes.

Photos by Sierra Williams

Alexa Gilbert shows off the strawberries at the festival. The strawberries at the Strawberry Festival were from Pablo & Sons Farms in Plant City, Florida.

Joshua Gravish tries out his strawberry shortcake.

Mahkai Moore, 7, at the Strawberry Festival.

Josiah Apollon riding a horse.

Kensie Battani, 11, in the batting cages.

Will and Olga Rice show off the strawberries they bought at the festival.

Scout adds flag retirement boxes in Ormond

For his Eagle Scout project, Graham Johnston provides Ormond Beach with a way to retire U.S. flags properly.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Graham Johnston is no stranger to flag retirement ceremonies. He performed his first as Cub Scout.

And as a Boy Scout of Troop 403, he was often given old flags by his teachers, friends and family, to retire because they didn’t know what to do with them. So when it was time for Johnston, a freshman at Seabreeze High School, to pick his Eagle Scout service project, he thought back to those flags.

“I felt that Ormond Beach needed a place where you can drop off flags, legally and properly,” Johnston said. “I felt like it was going to help a lot of people.”

Johnston’s project to install a U.S. flag retirement drop box was approved last August. He initially planned to have his project completed by December, but when he made the basketball team at school, he decided to push it back until the end of the season.

In February, Johnston installed, not just one drop box, but two in town, thanks to the $3,320 he was able to fundraise through community donations, including help from The Rotary Club of Ormond Beach. The first box was installed at Troop

403’s meeting place, Lighthouse Christ Presbyterian Church, located at 1035 W. Granada Blvd., and the American Legion Post 267 at 156 New Britain Ave.

“They’ve been a personal supporter with the Eagle project, with myself throughout scouting, and also just scouting throughout Ormond Beach,” Johnston said of the American Legion Post 267. “I really gave it as a gift back to them.”

His father, Brian Johnston, said that his son has always loved being a Scout. Graham Johnston has been a Scout for nine years.

“Scouting has really, as a byproduct, been a great help to him growing into a leader and putting things

in place in his life, and follow Scout oath and law,” Brian Johnston said. “He’s a very honorable young man and I think a lot of that has to do with his interaction with scouting.”

The drop boxes were made by America Security Cabinets. Graham Johnston customized their design.

His favorite part about being a Scout is the lessons he’s learned over the years.

“It’s probably the best thing that life has done for me,” Graham Johnston said.

Now that he’s an Eagle Scout, he said his next goals are to receive his Cambridge AICE diploma at Seabreeze and to stay active with his troop.

Bootleggers of Florida’s past

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Florida Prohibition.

A time period so full of stories, Flagler Beach author and historian Randy Jaye put a book in progress on hold in order to fully explore.

On Feb. 5, Jaye’s fourth book, published by Arcadia Publishing, was released after about a year of writing. Titled, “Florida Prohibition: Corruption, Defiance and Tragedy,” the book explores Florida’s history during the Prohibition Era, from 1920 to 1933. Jaye was working on a book summarizing the major episodes in Florida’s history when he became fascinated with Prohibition.

“Obviously, Prohibition was everywhere,” Jaye said. “... But the state of Florida actually had a statewide prohibition even prior to national prohibition that started in 1919.”

It also stayed longer in Florida, he added, lasting for over a year after Prohibition ended nationally in the U.S. One county in Florida, Liberty, still prohibits the sale of liquor.

“So the after-effects of Prohibition are still with us more than 90 years later,” Jaye said. Locally, Flagler and Volusia County were still fairly rural during Prohibition, aside from the Daytona Beach area, said Jaye, who is also a member of the Ormond Beach Historical

Society.

“We didn’t have any major Al Capone-type stories or anything like that, but there was a lot of illegal rumrunning and illegal moonshine going on,” Jaye said. “And then what we call the Old Brick Road today, the Dixie Highway, which ran through Flagler County and into Volusia County as well, that was a big transport center for bootleggers.”

Jaye has been interested in history since he was a child. Throughout his life, he continued researching local history and when he sold his consulting businesses, he decided to dedicate himself to being a full-time historian.

“Florida Prohibition: Corruption, Defiance and Tragedy” is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target and other distributors. His previous books are titled “Flagler County, Florida: A Centennial History” ; “Perseverance: Episodes of Black History from the Rural South” ; and “Jim Crow Era Propaganda, Artifacts and Upheavals in Florida.”

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

“RS’I IB RLFBVSTES SB IFYEX ABKV

MVYY SRLY ZRSP ORSSOY FYBFOY. ...

HPROXPBBX RI DBEY RE SPY NOREU BM TE YAY.”

PARTY ANIMALS by Dylan Schiff, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

Flagler Beach author Randy Jaye publishes fourth book.

421670-1

FT-BRV0007861-02

Graham Johnston is a freshman at Seabreeze High School. Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Randy Jaye. Courtesy photo

All the way back

Matanzas’ Leah Stevens is pitching better than ever 14 months after suffering a rare form of stroke caused by a massive blood clot.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Leah Stevens loved softball. But until the sport was taken away from her, she did not realize what she loved most about it.

It wasn’t striking out batters, winning games or getting better as a pitcher. It was those little everyday things she shared with her teammates — the inside jokes, the handshakes, the camaraderie.

“Just having fun with each other, the human interactions of softball. I really missed that,” she said. And now that she’s been cleared to play again, she’s enjoying every moment.

“I think I have a different appreciation for the game now,” she said.

Fourteen months ago, Stevens, then a sophomore at Matanzas High School, was diagnosed with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, a type of stroke that occurs when a blood clot forms in the brain’s venous sinuses, preventing blood from draining out of the brain. Her blood clot was large, large enough to fill the back of her head and into her neck.

CVST is a rare form of stroke that affects about 5 people in 1 million

each year, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Stevens was on blood thinners and blood-clot-dissolving medications for over a year until the clot slowly dissolved to a point where she was no longer at risk.

Coming off a phenomenal freshman season with the Pirates in which she struck out 129 batters in 61 innings, Sttevens was told that there was a high probability she could be on blood thinners for the rest of her life. If that were to happen, she would never be able to play softball again.

TWO NO-HITTERS

Last season, she couldn’t be on the field during practice for fear of getting hit in the head. Her headaches never went away, she said. They still haven’t, but now she manages them. When she was cleared to resume pitching, she pitched to her mother, Anne Stevens, a former college softball and basketball player at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. Leah wasn’t allowed to pitch to live batters or even join her teammates on the field.

Finally, on Feb. 26, when the blood thinners were out of her system, Stevens, now a junior, was cleared to join her teammates and pitch again. She had one practice. The next day, she threw a one-hit shutout against New Smyrna Beach, striking out 14 batters in six innings. She’s been that good since. She’s pitched in five games and has thrown two complete game no-hitters against DeLand on March 6 and Taylor on March 12. She also did not allow a hit in 5 1/3 innings against Providence School.

Stevens has a 5-0 record in leading the Pirates to a 7-0 start. She has a 0.44 earned average and has allowed just four hits in 32 innings pitched while striking out 73 batters. She has been amazingly consistent with 14 strikeouts in two games and 15 in

“The team was so supportive of me. They were all so happy for me that I was back, not for my stats, not for me to help the team, but for me to be able to play the game I love.”

LEAH STEVENS

three games. And she’s not even in shape yet.

“Although she was allowed to do spin work and pitch some, she wasn’t allowed to condition like she has in the past,” Matanzas softball coach Sabrina Manhart said. “She would get headaches jogging, so we put a stationary bike in the dugout so she can still warm her body up effectively without the bouncing motion.”

In her freshman season she would warm up by running and stretching and then throwing in the bullpen for 30 to 40 minutes, Manhart said.

Stevens said now if she gets overheated, she gets headaches because her blood flow is not completely back yet. She uses cooling towels to regulate her temperature.

“We’re just being smart about how she gets fit,” Manhart said. “If she takes 45 minutes to warm up, she doesn’t feel good. We’re trying to do more with less. I think she’s a better pitcher now. We’re putting her on pitch counts and just trying to be smart and have her recognize we’re going to work with her in this process. What she does this season is not as important as her future in this sport. This is just the first steps in getting back to full strength.”

As her performances have shown so far, her velocity and movement have not suffered. And Manhart said her control has improved.

“She’s a difficult pitcher to catch because she has such sharp movement. I caught her a couple of weeks ago. It’s not easy to do, and I was a college catcher,” Manhart said. “She doesn’t throw a whole lot of different pitches. What she does throw she throws with amazing velocity and spin that just moves violently. She has become a much more efficient pitcher. She hits her spots better and is not going as deep into pitch counts.”

Stevens said she was overwhelmed by the reaction of her teammates when she returned. Only one player was on the team when she last played with the Pirates — fellow junior Ashley Sampselle. But the other players witnessed what she was going through this past year.

At the beginning of the season she had a talk with her teammates about having fun and living in the moment.

“I know we can get all caught up in the stats and the numbers, but I really wanted everybody to know that when I’m back on the field I want everyone to have fun, and that’s

that’s the big thing. That’s my main goal out there,” she said.

HER JOURNEY BACK Stevens calls the last 14 months of her life, her “journey.” It’s not a journey she’s had to travel alone. From the start, she’s had support from her family, coaches, teammates and friends. Stevens is a dual-enrolled student in the AICE program, so academics have always been the most important part of her life, she said. She plans to major in engineering in college. But she had difficulty concentrating when she was on her medications.

She said she focused on keeping her GPA up, her teachers worked with her to solve any issues and her coaches, Manhart and Ashley Forrest, advocated on her behalf.

“It’s been a very long year for her,” her father, Chris Stevens, said. “It took a lot out of her to keep up with her classes, and it was physically draining to do a lot of things. The side effects from the medications she was on, and being on a blood thinner everyday, she had to be very cautious. Plus dealing with the blood clot itself dissolving away, it just takes a while, and she had a constant headache. Constant.”

Her journey began on Jan. 14, 2023. Leah was in Georgia for a softball camp when she woke up with a terrible migraine headache.

“We went to get some medication for it when she finished the camp,” her father said.

Back in Palm Coast four days later, she was still having migraines.

“Luckily, I had my annual physi-

cal and my doctor said, ‘You should probably go to the ER, because this is getting borderline, not normal,’” Leah said.

Tests revealed her blood clot, and she was lifeflighted to AdventHealth Orlando. She spent a week in pediatric intensive care. That was the worst week of her journey, she said.

“It was a time of a lot of uncertainty,” Leah said. “And that was hard to deal with, waiting for those answers that were really hard to hear. The first few months of my journey they told me there’s a high chance I’m not going to play.”

There were many ups and downs, she said, days she felt great and other days she felt terrible.

“There were some low points, I’m not going to lie,” she said. “I feel like as much as my injury was physical, it was also very mental. I think I have a different appreciation for the game. Before, I kind of had a checklist. Like, let’s try to get this many batters out or whatever. But I feel like now I go into each game with the mindset of, OK this could be your last game, you never know.”

For a while she was worried that college coaches wouldn’t recruit her because of what she has been through. But Manhart expects her to have a big recruiting summer because she has demonstrated that she is as good a teammate as she is a competitor.

“She’s going to show who she really is,” Manhart said. “She’s got what it takes to be a very high level player and an amazing teammate.”

Seven-run seventh inning propels FPC to 9-5 baseball win over Matanzas

Pirates’ Josh Cope and Bulldogs’ Jordan Gonzalez were locked in a pitchers’ duel for six innings.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

In his first at-bat, Flagler Palm Coast third baseman Dalton Roberts lined out to center field. Just getting the ball out of the infield against Matanzas starting pitcher Josh Cope was an achievement of sorts for the Bulldogs.

But once Cope left the mound, Roberts ignited a seven-run seventh inning to lift FPC to a 9-5 victory over the Pirates on Friday, March 8, at Matanzas. Roberts laced a 3-1 pitch from reliever Braden Russell into center field for a leadoff single in the top of the seventh. His teammates followed with two walks and four more hits, including a two-run single by Ayden Normandin and a double by Connor May. Two Matanzas errors helped keep the inning alive as the Bulldogs sent 11 batters to the plate in the frame.

“I was calm and confident,” Roberts said. “Getting the first guy on gives everybody some confidence.”

Matanzas went down fighting, however, stringing together four hits and a walk in the bottom of the seventh to score three runs.

“We got a little flustered (in the top of the seventh),” Matanzas coach Jim Perry said. “It’s part of the learning curve and the growth of the team.”

FPC improved to 3-2 on the season, while Matanzas fell to 5-4.

The final score belied the dominant story of the game. For six innings, Cope and FPC starter Jordan Gonzalez were locked in a pitcher’s duel.

Cope struck out 10 batters and allowed just two hits and a walk in six innings. Gonzalez allowed three hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. Both teams scored two unearned runs in the sixth, keeping the earned run averages for both pitchers this season at 0.00.

Cope has allowed five hits and no earned runs through 13 innings. Gonzalez, who threw six innings of no-hit ball in his first start, has not allowed an earned run through 11 1/3 innings.

“Cope threw a very, very good game,” FPC coach Kyle Marsh said of the Pirates’ left-hander. “Finding those at-bats at the end of the game was big for us. It was nice to see us piece together some hits, move guys around and get some bunts down.”

Up until the seventh, the Bulldogs’ bats were held in check. Cope stuck out two batters looking in the first, then struck out two batters swinging in the second. He gave up a leadoff triple to Helmut Waters in the third and retired the next three batters with two infield pop ups and his fifth strikeout.

Cope said he was counting every strikeout.

“I feel like I perform better when there’s more pressure,” said the senior, who has been nearly flawless over his three outings this season with 24 strikeouts, five hits and four walks in 13 innings.

The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard in the sixth as May got on base by an obstruction call against Cope, then stole second and scored on a throwing error on Wyatt Reynolds’ grounder to third. Carson Flis drove Reynolds in with a single to right.

The Pirates tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth with the help of two infield errors.

“I’m mad we couldn’t have gotten the win,” Cope said, “very mad. I feel like our bats should have woken up earlier in the game.”

Cope threw 85 pitches, the most he has thrown in a game this season. He felt he could have pitched the final inning.

“I would have struck out the side,” he said.

While Gonzalez relied on his fielders more than Cope, striking out just three, he was just as stingy.

Marsh has not been surprised by his sophomore’s first two varsity starts.

“I’ve coached Gonzo since he was 10 (starting with the Florida Xtreme),” Marsh said. “He’s a competitor. He’s going to grind it out for his team. When he has the ball in his hand he’s going to compete.”

FPC helped its cause by stealing eight bases in the game.

“This was a stepping stone,” Roberts said. “We expect to win, and an ugly win is better than a pretty loss any day.”

7 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at FPC.

Leah Stevens pitches against Beachside. Photos by Brent Woronoff

The teams will meet again for the final time this season at

The JV game will start at 4.

Matanzas senior Josh Cope struck out 10 batters in six innings. Photo by Brent Woronoff

FPC follows Five Star title with sweep of Matanzas

The Bulldogs boys and girls tennis teams each shut out the host Pirates in their annual rivalry match.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Fresh off its Five Star Conference championship, the Flagler Palm Coast boys tennis team swept Matanzas 7-0 on Monday, March 11, at the Pirates’ tennis courts. The Bulldogs’ girls team also blanked the Pirates 7-0.

The FPC boys improved to 6-1 with their only loss coming to Spruce Creek in their season-opening match. But they beat Spruce Creek 19-15 at the Five Star tournament on March 7-8 at the Florida Tennis Center in Daytona Beach. FPC players advanced to the final in every spot, winning five of seven final matches, including four against Spruce

Creek players. “We were missing a player (in the match against Creek on Feb. 7). We finally got all our guys back in the right spots,” FPC tennis coach Javier Bevacqua said. “We may see (Spruce Creek) again at districts and region, so we haven’t finished writing that chapter yet. But if all goes well and we stay healthy, we should have a deep run.”

FPC’s Five Star Conference champs were Adam Stochel-Polubiec at No. 2 singles, Alex Berenblit at No. 3, Joshua Thorpe at No. 4, Aaron Lieberman at No. 5 and Berenblit and Thorpe at No. 2 doubles.

The FPC girls finished second to Creek at Five Star, 21-13. The Bulldogs advanced to five of the seven girls finals. Creek players won all seven championships. Four of FPC’s five girls singles players and four of the team’s five boys singles players are freshmen and sophomores. Matanzas is also young

with six freshmen and sophomores among their top 10 boys and girls.

Bulldogs freshman Andrew Shkotkin beat Pirates sophomore Stan Valenteychik at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-2. Shkotkin and Stochel-Polubiec defeated Valenteychik and Owen Brady, 8-0 in No. 1 doubles.

When Shkotkin was 12, he was ranked No. 1 in the state and 14th in the nation by Tennis Recruiting. But after recovering from an injury, he said he took a break from tournament play.

“There were not many people to practice with,” he said. “But I definitely want to get back into it. I’m still not anywhere near my best level.”

FPC sophomore Marina Carlisi defeated Mia Hale at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-1, and teamed up with Tatian Leontyeva at No. 2 doubles to defeat Hale and Olivia Rabbatt 8-1 in No. 1 doubles.

Carlisi, who is also one of FPC’s top volleyball players, was the Bulldogs’ No. 3 singles player last year.

“The competition is a lot better at No. 1,” she said. “But I’d say I’m definitely holding up against those players.”

Also winning for FPC

against Matanzas in the girls match were Maya Swierczynski (No. 2), Leontyeva (No. 3), Trista Rife (No. 4) and Aasi Bharucha (No. 5) at singles and Swierczynski and Ania Martynuk at No. 2 doubles. FPC’s other boys winners at Matanzas were StochelPolubiec, Berenblit, Thorpe and Lieberman at singles and Berenblit and Thorpe at No. 2 doubles.

Pirates rename softball tourney in Novak’s honor

The assistant principal created the Matanzas Preseason Classic when she was the team’s head coach.

BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Matanzas High School Assistant Principal Sara Novak started the Pirates’ softball program. She also created the Matanzas Preseason Softball Classic. On Friday, March 8, the softball team dedicated the tournament in her honor, renaming it the Sara Novak Preseason Classic. Novak, who is this year’s Flagler Schools’ Assistant Principal of the Year, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Pirates’ softball game against Seabreeze. She was escorted to the pitching circle by her mentee, sophomore outfielder Kenna Hardee, who said Novak has had a positive influence on her life.

The team held the dedication to go along with the Pirate Athletic Committee’s Parking Lot Party on a night that the school hosted four athletic events: the softball game against Seabreeze, JV and

varsity baseball games against Flagler Palm Coast and a boys lacrosse game against Menendez.

Novak received a bouquet of roses and hugs from the Pirates’ current players as well as from some former players, including Jordan Wood, who was Novak’s first pitcher during the team’s inaugural season. When Novak was the coach, the team’s slogan was “She who has the will to win cannot be defeated.” It is still the team’s slogan today.

Matanzas coach Sabrina Manhart said the quote has defined the team’s culture and Novak is an example of what the quote stands for.

Manhart said she had wanted to hold the dedication during the 15th annual Preseason Classic in February, but Novak was out of town at the time caring for her mother who had been ill. Novak even missed the Teacher of the Year Gala in January because of her mother’s sudden illness.

“It’s been a rough year for her,” Manhart said. “We wanted to do this because she has done so much for Matanzas. Some of our girls have special relationships with her. She bleeds blue and is just the heart of Matanzas.”

Bulldogs’ girls 4x100 relay team is on track after breaking the school record

FPC won the event at North Florida/South Florida Challenge; Colby Cronk won both shot put and discus.

BRENT WORONOFF

EDITOR

ASSOCIATE

After congratulating Flagler Palm Coast’s girls 4x100 relay team for winning the event at the third annual North Florida/South Florida Challenge on Saturday, March 9 — and breaking the school record in the process — Bulldogs track and field coach David Halliday told the runners in a low voice, “Ya’ll can run faster.”

The girls know this is true. They currently have the 12th fastest time in the state among all classifications, and they feel like they’re just getting started with two new run -

ners this season and a recent change to their running order. With Aun’Yale Howard leading off, Olivia Gaines running second leg, Jada Dotson third and Summer Barnes running anchor, the FPC team won the event with a time of 48.39 seconds, breaking the 10-year-old school record by nine-tenths of a second.

“I’m so happy right now,” Barnes said after the race.

The Bulldogs switched Howard and Dotson to allow Dotson to hand the baton to Barnes.

“Jada handed off to Summer last year,” FPC girls coach Alycia Williams said. “Sometimes you got to go back to what works.”

It’s not that they’ve been slow — they ran 49.45 in their first official meet together on Feb. 23 — but now they believe they have the right chemistry to compete at state.

“I always knew we could do

it. The handoffs have been the issue,” Barnes said. “Now all we have to do is improve our speed.”

Howard and Gaines are new to the group this season. Howard is one of the best athletes in the school. She has committed to play softball next season at Lynn University and played softball for the Bulldogs last season, but while she is still going to tournaments with her travel softball team, she decided to run track for her final high school season. She was also on the track team as a sophomore and also placed third in her weight class at the state weightlifting championships that year.

“She is just an athlete,” Williams said. “She can do anything.”

Gaines, who is primarily a long jumper, transferred from Matanzas High.

“Olivia doesn’t really practice that much running,” Wil-

liams said. “Once we get her balanced, they’ll run 47-mid easy.”

The same group, running in the same order, also placed second in the 4x200, which is not an official FHSAA event.

Barnes also ran a personal record time of 12.30 seconds

Eighth-grader third in 1A high school wrestling

Kevin McLean won the 106-pound consolation final at the Class 1A tourney.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kevin McLean of Palm Coast is not in high school yet, but he has already earned a medal at the FHSAA state wrestling championships. The eighth grader placed

third at 106 pounds in Class 1A at the state tournament Feb. 29 to March 2 at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee. McLean was one of two wrestlers on the St. Johns County Day team. His father, Tim, knew the SJCD coach, Hunter Hill, through club tournaments. Hill offered Kevin a chance to compete against high school wrestlers. As a pre-K through grade 12 private school, SJCD is allowed middle school athletes on its varsity teams. “It was an opportunity for

Kevin to compete on the state level,” Tim McLean said.

After Christmas, the McLeans home-schooled Kevin and he practiced about half the time with the Flagler Wrestling Club, led by FPC head coach David Bossardet. The rest of the week, he traveled to Green Cove Springs.

Kevin had a 29-4 high school record this year. He won the district title and was runner-up at the regional tournament. At state, he lost his second-round match and then won four straight conso-

lation matches to finish with a 5-1 record in Kissimmee. He beat high school junior Eli Jolicoeur of Suwannee, 8-6, to win the third-place match.

Next year, Kevin will join older brother T.J. on FPC’s wrestling team, Tim McLean said. T.J. McLean, who will be a senior next school year, placed fifth at state as a sophomore in 2023 at 106 pounds in Class 2A. “I want T.J. and Kevin to be together at least one season,” Tim McLean said.

in the 100-meter dash.

FPC’s Colby Cronk won both boys shot put (52 feet, 11.5 inches) and discus (148 feet, 8 inches) titles in the windy conditions at the meet. The junior finished second in shot put at the state high school indoor championships

and broke the school record at the season-opening East Coast Classic at 54 feet, 3.25 inches, which currently ranks first in the state in Class 4A and third overall.

FPC’s Maya Tyson placed second in girls shot put. Levi Hayworth placed second in boys javelin. The North Florida/South Florida Challenge brings some of the best track teams and athletes in the state to FPC.

Miami Columbus won the boys team title with 115.5 points. Jacksonville Mandarin was second with 105 points, Miami Belen Jesuit third (94.50), Fleming Island fourth (91) and FPC fifth (79) in the 11-team field.

Miami Northwestern won the girls competition with 205 points, followed by Jacksonville Bishop Kenny (103), FPC (101.5), Bartram Trail (66) and Mandarin (61).

SIDELINES

MILLS FOLLOWS WRESTLING

TITLE WITH 400 HURDLES WIN

One week after winning a state wrestling championship, Matanzas’ Jordan Mills won the 400-meter hurdles on March 9 at the Buffalo Invitational at the Villages. Mills won by more than four seconds with a time of 1:01.17. It was his first track meet in two years. The senior missed last season while recovering from shoulder surgery. It was his first time running the 400

hurdles at a meet. The FHSAA sanctioned the event last year to replace the 300 hurdles. Other Matanzas winners at the meet were Jeff Powell (11.6 seconds in the 100 meters), Christian Norfolk (2:06.54 in the 800 meters), Ladarien Baker (40 feet, 5 inches in the triple jump), Jordan Theus-Vale in the discus (109-1) and javelin (126-8), Evanne Miller in the girls 100 (12.92) and 200 (26.81) and the 4x400 relay (Sierra Howard, Jordan Youngman, Gabrielle Duncan and Miller, 4:19.37).

FPC No. 1 singles player Marina Carlisi gets ready to hit a forehand return.

FPC sophomore Adam Stochel-Polubiec won at No. 2 singles.

Photo by Brent Woronoff

Matanzas No. 1 singles player Stan Valenteychik lost just his second match of the season, 6-1, 6-2, to FPC’s Andrew Shkotkin.

FPC’s Olivia Gaines, Jada Dotson, Summer Barnes and Aun’Yale Howard won the 4x100 girls relay in school-record time at the third annual North Florida/South Florida Challenge on March 9. Photo by Brent Woronoff

Matanzas Assistant Principal — and the school’s first softball coach — Sara Novak, with her first pitcher, Jordan Wood, after the Pirates honored Novak on March 8. Photo by Brent Woronoff