Palm Coast Observer 03-21-24

LOCAL EVENTS

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. 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.

‘THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN

BRODIE’

When: 7:30 p.m. March 21, March 22, March 23, plus a matinee at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 23

Where: Matanzas High School stage (Pirate Theater)

Details: Tickets are $25, at www. flaglerplayhouse.org.

The setting for this play is Edinburgh, Scotland in the 1930s, at the very exclusive Marcia Blaine girls’ school, where Jean Brodie is a teacher. Jean Brodie is played by a seasoned actress from the area, April Whaley. Sandy, the other strong female lead in the show, is played by Leah Lehnertz, a junior at Matanzas High School. Her character will change Jean Brodie’s outcome the most. The two loves in Brodie’s life are Lowther, played by Danno Waddell, and Lloyd by Austin Butcher. In addition to set and lighting design, the play is also directed by Les Ober. See observerlocalnews. com for dress rehearsal photos.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22

ACOUSTIC MUSICAL JAM CIRCLE

When: 2-5 p.m.

Where: Picnic Shelter at Hammock

Community Center, 79 Mala Campra

Road, Palm Coast

Details: Bring your acoustic stringed instrument (no amplifiers) and a folding chair and join other local amateur musicians of all ages for a jam session. Audience and singers are welcome. This event on the fourth Friday of every month.

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: Free for children in preschool through fifth grade. 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: Arts and crafts, face paint-

ing, 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.

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.

SPRING BREAK BASH

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

Where: Joanne B. King Park, 300 Citrus St., Bunnell Details: Celebrate spring break with the city of Bunnell. The Spring Break Bash is an all-day family friendly event with food trucks, a DJ and music, dance and hula hoop contests, games, prizes, bounce houses and pickleball. Bunnell Police officers will be grilling free hot dogs. A K-9 demonstration will be held at 1 p.m. Flagler Palm Coast High School varsity coaches and players will host sports clinics at 2 p.m.

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, as well as authors, artists and exhibitors.

THE DRAGON CLUB

When: 12 p.m.

Where: Flagler Beach Library, 315 S. 7th St., Flagler Beach

Details: Do you like books, board games or chess? Attend the first meeting of The Dragon Club to meet other kids with similar interests.

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.” 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.

SUNDAY, MARCH 24

NATHAN COBB COTTAGE OPEN HOUSE

When: 1-3 p.m.

Where: Nathan Cobb Cottage, 137 Orchard Lane

Details: Join the Ormond Beach Historical Society for a visit of this Florida Heritage Landmark site and hear about the famous Ormond shipwreck that led to its construction. Please park at Fortunato Park, located at 2 John Anderson Drive, and walk two blocks to the cottage.

TUESDAY, MARCH 26

SPRING BIRD WALKS WITH JOAN TAGUE

When: 8 a.m.

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

Beach Details: Master Naturalist Joan Tague, of the Halifax River Audubon, for casual bird walks along the Central Park trails. Bring water. Walking shoes and sunscreen recommended.

MARC BLACK’S ‘A HISTORY OF THE 1950S AND ‘60S THROUGH POPULAR SONG’

When: 2-3 p.m.

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

Details: Sponsored by the Friends of the Ormond Beach Library. Free and open to the public.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 FLAGLER COUNTY BOY SCOUT

GOLDEN EAGLE DINNER

When: 6 p.m.

Where: Hammock Dunes Resort, 30 Avenue Royale, Palm Coast

Details: This year’s honoree is Dr. Dennis Alter, an orthopedic surgeon at AdventHealth. For more information, contact Halvern Johnson at Halvern.Johnson@cflscouting.org.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28

NATURE WALKS WITH URBAN

FORESTER CAROL

When: 10-11 a.m.

Where: Linear Park, 31 Greenway Court, Palm Coast

Details: Join Palm Coast Urban Forester Carol for a nature walk as she talks about the local flora and fauna. Snake presentation by a Central Florida Zoo expert. Free. Register at parksandrec.fun.

HALIFAX GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY MONTHLY MEETING AND PROGRAM

When: 1:30 p.m.

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

Details: Halifax Genealogical Society President Patricia Peoples will present, “Finding Your Ancestors’ Irish Townland and Building the Jigsaw Puzzle.” Registration is free.

FRIDAY, MARCH 29

‘DANCE TO THE MUSIC’ DANCE PARTY

When: 6-10 p.m.

Where: African American Museum and Cultural Center of Florida, 4422 U.S. Highway 1 N., Palm Coast

Details: Attend this dance party with Soulfire. The theme and attire is “through the decades.” Tickets cost $25 and include a spaghetti dinner. Call 609-304-9412.

SATURDAY, MARCH 30

67TH ANNUAL FLAGLER COUNTY CRACKER DAY

When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Flagler County Fairgrouds, 150 Sawgrass Road, Bunnell Details: Celebrate Cracker Day with your friends and family. See bull riding, steer riding, sack races and more. Rodeo begins at noon. Admission costs $20 per person and includes lunch, to be served between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Children 3 and under are free.

DON’T CLICK THAT LINK

Flagler

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

In January, a 19-year-old Palm Coast man was indicted on multiple federal wire fraud charges after allegedly stealing over $800,000. Last October, Flagler Schools lost $719,000 in a fraudulent transfer.

Fraud crimes are common, and sophisticated, Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Cmdr. Mike Lutz said.

The FCSO had 566 fraud cases in 2023; so far in 2024, the FCSO has had 137 cases already.

Scams can take on a variety of forms, he said, from emails with suspicious links to people pretending to work with government agencies or even pretending to be family members.

These criminals often target the elderly, for many reasons, Lutz said: Some seniors may be less technologically savvy, others could be lonely. Overall, he said, seniors can be more trusting.

“The older we get, a lot of our safeguards ... start coming down, and we’re much more trusting and believe what we hear,” he said.

Worse, most cases go unsolved, he said, because of the nature of the crimes. Often times, the money is sent overseas or is bounced around multiple accounts. When it is traced, the crimes are tied to crime organizations, Lutz said, instead of individuals. That makes it harder to attach one name to a crime and, by extension, a warrant.

And that is when a scam is even reported. Some seniors don’t bother reporting the scams out of embarrassment, Lutz said, but the truth is it could happen to anyone — even government institutions, like Flagler Schools.

The Ormond Beach Police Department has also seen an increase in fraud cases. In 2023, OBPD saw 246 reported fraud cases. In 2022, there were 231 and in 2021, there were 212.

So far this year, 34 cases have been reported.

“Criminals adapted to fraudulent activity because it’s harder to find them, harder to prove it, harder to

track,” Ormond Beach Police Sgt. John Dovine said.

‘A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE’

Between 2018 and 2022, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, Americans lost $27.6 billion to cyber crimes — fraud, identity theft, scams, data breaches and other criminal acts using technology.

In 2022, the losses accounted for 37.9% of that five-year total: Americans reported $10.3 billion in losses to cyber crime with 800,844 complaints reported to IC3. Total losses reported by elderly victims increased 84% according to IC3’s most recent elder fraud report. In 2022, 88,262 victims over the age of 60 filed a complaint with IC3, reporting a total loss of $3.1 billion.

“Tech and Customer Support schemes continued to be the most common type of fraud reported, with 17,800 complaints filed by victims over 60,” the report states.

“Monetary losses due to Investment Fraud reported by victims over 60 increased over 300%, more than any other kind of fraud, largely due to the rising trend of cryptoinvestment scams. In almost every crime type tracked by the IC3, losses involving cryptocurrency increased. Overall, cryptocurrency-related losses reported by the elderly increased by 350%.”

Victims over the age of 60 reported an average loss of $35,101, and 5,456 victims lost more than $100,000.

Similarly, the scams that OBPD sees are typically not small amounts of money. They’re also thousands and thousands of dollars, and all of which mainly, OBPD Detective Jessica Fowler said, target elderly victims.

Lutz had also seen the trend. While the number of cyber fraud crimes have gone down, he said, the total amount of financial loss has drastically increased on a national level.

A victim may receive a phone call alleging that they have missed jury duty and now have a warrant out for their arrest. To avoid arrest, the scammer then claims the victim must pay them a large sum of money, using a cryptocurrency, ATM or gift cards.

“Law enforcement, no matter who

it is — IRS, Sheriff’s Office, FHP, FBI, anybody — is not going to call somebody and tell them that we’re coming to arrest you,” Lutz said.

Bitcoin ATMs are more commonly found in gas stations and pharmacy retail stores such as CVS and Walgreens.

“These suspects know where they are in our area,” Fowler said. “They will literally give the victims directions on how to get there, and they look like normal ATMs, so the victims don’t always understand, ‘Hey, I’m putting in $10,000 to buy these types of tokens.’ They just think it’s a payment system.”

Cryptocurrency isn’t illegal. But people need to be aware that scammers are using it to commit crimes, Fowler said.

The suspects are usually not from the area either, OBPD spokeswoman Pauline Dulang said.

“It’s not like they’re creating a scam here in Ormond Beach — they’re global,” she said. “This is not just a threat on Ormond Beach, but this is a national security issue.”

In Flagler County, some of the most common types of scams are romance scams and scam phone callers pretending to be the IRS or law enforcement, Lutz said.

The romance scam is where criminals develop relationships with the victims, Lutz said, over long periods of times, and begin asking the victim for money for plane tickets to come see them, or for help with medical bills.

“And you’ve developed this relationship, and you start sending the money before you realize that this is never going to amount to anything,” Lutz said. These scams target widows or widowers. One active fraud case OBPD is working involves a victim who lost $400,000 of her life savings, Dovine said. That was a case type referred to as a “love scam,” where a suspect creates a “relationship” with their victim, sometimes for months, and once a relationship is established, the suspect continuously asks the victim for money.

The elderly victim was flagged by the U.S. Secret Service, who contacted OBPD and asked them to speak with the victim and inform her

safeguard their accounts.

BAIL SCAMS

Suspects will call victims and allege a relative has been arrested, often using actors to pose as the family member. Usually, the suspects will send an unknown person to collect the funds to bail out the individual.

INVESTMENT SCAMS

stating they have entered a restricted site and are being compromised. The victim is convinced to send money to

The victim speaks to people pretending to represent a local bank, PayPal or even Amazon, is asked to provide personal details through the phone and later presented with an opportunity to invest in cryptocurrency. The victim is then in structed to de posit funds into a cryptocurrency ATM.

POLICE CHARITY SCAMS

The victim receives a phone call from an individual claiming to be an officer asking for donations

she was being scammed.

“It was very hard to tell her that this wasn’t real,” Dovine said. “She had developed a relationship with someone she thought was real. It’s tough, especially at their age — they’re lonely, sometimes they’re widowed.”

EDUCATION IS KEY

The best way to prevent being scammed is to know what to look for, Lutz said.

“Pay attention to where it’s coming from. To the wording to see if they’re asking for money,” Lutz said. “Never, never download the attachment.”

Most companies or law enforcement agencies are not going to call people. It’s a red flag right away to get an incoming call pretending to be Amazon or the IRS, he said, because those do not have outgoing call services.

Urgency is another red flag. If someone is trying to pressure a person into sending a payment, or acting right away, that’s usually a sign. Instead of responding, take a breath and think things through, Lutz said. For emails, he said, it’s best to take a second look at the text in the email — are there any awkward phrases used, or odd punctuation or capitalization? Never click the link, either, Lutz said. “The one way we’re going to battle this crime is education,” Lutz said.

The FCSO regularly hosts education seminars on fraud crimes through its Community Engagement Unit. Last year, the FCSO hosted its first Senior Summit, a two-hour long seminar on crimes and health risks seniors are more susceptible to.

The Community Engagement Unit is hosting two such presentations in early April, one at 3:30 p.m. on April 2 at the Tidelands Community and another at 6 p.m. on April 8 at the Elks Club for the Ladies Auxiliary. Detecting a scam is all in the details, Lutz said.

“Sometimes it jumps right off the page at you, if you just given the time that it needs to look at it, to study it,” Lutz said. “And then you realize ... I almost fell for that.”

to support local law enforcement. Law enforcement will never call to request donations.

AMAZON, USPS, FEDEX SCAMS

Victims receive a text message claiming that something is wrong with their order and asking them to click a link to resolve it. Once the link is clicked, the suspect has control of the victim’s phone and goes to a website that mimics the real business. The victim

One hunter shot by another hunter in woods off Old Haw Creek Road

A hunter was shot in the torso and head by bird shot when another hunter confused a decoy turkey for the real thing.

Dispatch received a 911 call at 7:46 a.m. on March 17, when a man reported someone had been shot in the wooded area east of 775 Old Haw Creek Road. The caller said he had been hunting turkeys when he saw what he believed, in the low light, was a male turkey that turned out to be a decoy, a Bunnell Police Department press release said.

BPD officers and Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene and a helicopter was called to transport the victim to Halifax Health in Daytona Beach, the press release said. The shooter expressed remorse for the shooting and worked with BPD officers, showing them where in the woods the incident occurred.

It is unknown if the shooter is facing charges at the this time. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is leading the investigation.

Bunnell man critically injured in shooting

The Bunnell Police Department is investigating a shooting that left one person with life-threatening injuries on March 16.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office dispatch received a call at 10:25 p.m. from South Drain Street in Bunnell, saying that a 20-yearold man had been shot. BPD officers and FCSO deputies rendered first aid to the man until medical responders could arrive, a BPD press release said.

First responders issued a trauma alert and Flagler County Fire Rescue’s FireFlight airlifted the man to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach. The man was briefly stabilized, but his status has since deteriorated back to critical condition, BPD Chief David Brannon said. Eddie Johnson Park was used as a landing area.

The victim was shot in the upper left side of his chest, near the armpit, Brannon said. BPD is leading an investigation into the shooting, with support from the Sheriff’s Office.

Initial reports state a fight broke out in the 500 block of South Anderson Street. Shots were fired and several people fled the area on foot and in cars, the press release said. It is unknown if the victim was involved in the fight or an intended target.

Officers are looking into several suspects, Brannon said, but there was only one known victim.

Brannon said there is a possibility the shooting was related to a brawl that broke out in Bunnell in the 300 block of South Anderson Street on March 2. The brawl involved over 40 people and totaled in six arrests.

If anyone has information about this incident, they can remain anonymous and call Bunnell Police Detective Sergeant Shane Groth at (386) 600-7950, or CrimeStoppers at (888) 277-TIPS (8477).

Wanted in Texas, nabbed in Flagler

A man who is accused of stealing over $1 million of cash and jewelry from a jewelry store in Houston was arrested in Palm Coast on March 12. Multiple Flagler deputies pulled over Asdrubal Rodriguez, who was arrested on a warrant. He admitted to not having a United States driver’s license nor a license from his home country of Cuba. Deputies searched his Tahoe and found approximately $79,000 in cash and gold jewelry, all taken from the robbery, the press release said. Rodriguez later confessed to robbing the jewelry store, as well as pistol-whipping and spraying the victims with pepper spray during the robbery. The FCSO contacted ICE for both men, and arrested Rodriguez for driving without a license. He is being held at the Flagler County jail with an ICE detainer, the press release said, under no bond.

CITY WATCH

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Assistant is now acting city manager

The Palm Coast City Council has appointed Assistant City Manager Lauren Johnston to temporarily fill the role of acting city manager.

Mayor David Alfin said he wondered if the assistant city manager and chief of staff positions don’t already fill the need for a city manager until the city can hire someone new.

Alfin said he was concerned about how Johnston’s other responsibilities will be impacted from her taking on the role.

“Well, mayor,” City Councilwoman Theresa Pontieri said, “that’s one of the challenges when you fire your city manager on the spot.”

Johnston told the council that she is pursuing her master’s degree, and she also has two small children “I will help wherever I’m needed,” Johnston said.

Lauren Johnston

City Council fires City Manager Bevan

The City Council voted 3-2 to fire Denise Bevan as city manager, effective immediately, and without cause.

Mayor David Alfin made the motion to terminate Bevan’s position at the March 19 City Council meeting, passing the gavel to Vice Mayor Ed Danko for the vote. Council members Theresa Carli Pontieri and Nick Klufas voted against terminating Bevan’s contract.

Alfin said he felt the City Council, since the election of Pontieri and council member Cathy Heighter, has worked hard “in tackling the issues we have inherited,” and are able to debate issues without dysfunction.

Today, he said, the city must address the facts of the city’s impending growth and maintaining the city infrastructure. It requires balancing those pressures while balancing the community’s beliefs, he said.

His motion to terminate Bevan’s contract included using the Florida League of Cities to find an interim city manager “with proven experience.”

“Change sometimes is inevitable,” he said. “But change sometimes is inevitable and necessary to provide new perspectives and successfully navigate new challenges.”

Bevan served first as interim city manager in June 2021 and then accepted the city manager position in February 2022.

Neither Klufas nor Pontieri felt it was the time to change city manager leadership. Klufas said he felt that, with Bevan as city manager, the city has translated vision into reality.

“I think a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way,” Klufas said. “And I think that is what Denise has done.”

Klufas took issue with the fact that Bevan was fired without cause.

Pontieri said she did not agree with terminating Bevan with elections just months away. Both Klufas and Danko are running for election on the Flagler County Commission and would not be on the council next November, and Alfin is up for reelection as well, as mayor.

“I find it to be inappropriate to remove our city manager at this

time, knowing that you all will not be working with who we choose in the future,” she said. “...You all are basically going to be voting on behalf of an entire city that you may not be representing in eight months.”

Pontieri also said that if residents have felt unsatisfied and unheard, that is not the fault of the city manager or city staff, but of the council.

“That absolutely falls on the shoulders of us to elevate those comments,” she said. “I think that we are wrongfully resting them on Denise’s shoulders, and I find that to be incredibly obtuse and unfair.”

Bevan began working with the city in 2007 as a senior environmental planner and rose through the administration to become administration coordinator and, in April 2021 chief of staff over infrastructure.

When then-City Manager Matt Morton resigned in May 2021, Bevan was chosen to serve in the interim that June, with the vocal support of most of the council at the time and then-Fire Chief Jerry Forte.

Just under 100 people applied for the position, but Bevan was not initially one of them, even though she held the interim position. None of the applicants seemed to gain the council’s interest. When Bevan did apply, she received unanimous support from the council, including newly elected Mayor Alfin and Danko.

Mayoral candidate Alan Lowe spoke during public comment, saying that he felt Bevan had been pressured into the city manager position by Alfin. He said he felt it was wrong that Bevan was continuingly asked to take the position after she said no.

“Everything that was positive and negative with the city manager’s position and her decisions, I think rests with you, Mr. Mayor,” Lowe said. “I think we should have listened to her when she said no, because now she’s in a position where she’s going

to have to find something else to fill that gap.”

Heighter said that while she has enjoyed working with Bevan, and does believe Bevan has done a good job, she feels the city is moving into a different era.

“I do feel that this city needs strong management and someone who is going to manage the job and be a leader and lead us into this new, growing city that we are becoming,” Heighter said.

Pontieri said she felt the leadership changes that are needed are more in the direction of directors, which is already happening under Bevan’s command. Bevan also took on the position when the city was undergoing unprecedented growth.

It isn’t Bevan’s fault that the council was approving large developments without the proper infrastructure in place, Pontieri said.

“That’s council’s fault,” she said. “I find it to be a little unfair to make this change right now.”

Pontieri said Bevan’s integrity is unmatched, and that is a quality that can’t be taught.

“We can go out to bid for anybody who’s got the best resume under the sun,” she said. “But integrity doesn’t make a resume.”

“I think a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. And I think that is what Denise has done.”

NICK KLUFAS, City Council member

DANKO LEAVES MEETING EARLY TO CAMPAIGN FOR TRUMP

City Council member Ed

Danko, who voted to fire Denise Bevan earlier in the meeting, did not contribute his opinion during the discussion and left the council meeting directly after the vote to go to the public library where he was campaigning on behalf of former President Donald Trump.

At the end of the meeting, City Councilwoman Theresa Pontieri said the fact that Danko showed up specifically to vote on Bevan’s termination, only to leave immediately after, indicates a violation of the Sunshine Law, which prohibits elected officials from discussing city business outside of public meetings.

“He clearly came to cast his vote for this motion,” Pontieri said. “Now he’s campaigning from the library when we have a business meeting that requires voting on serious city matters.”

The Observer reached out to Danko for comment on Bevan and his absence after the vote. The vice mayor had no comment on the former but to say he wished her well. As for his absence, Danko said, as it is election day and he is a member of the Flagler Trump Club, it was always his plan to leave after public comment at the March 19 meeting.

“Then the mayor pass the gavel to me, so I had to do my job,” Danko told the Observer. Klufas said this was not the first time Danko had skipped a city meeting specifically to campaign. Pontieri said the issue needs to be addressed, even if the council does not have the ability to censure another council member.

“This is a problem,” Pontieri said.

City Manager Denise Bevan was fired from her position on March 19, in a 3-2 vote. Photo by Sierra Williams

Out to eat at Bull Creek Fish Camp?

A restaurant could be added, if Flagler wins a $1.2 million grant.

SIERRA WILLIAMS

WRITER

STAFF

Instead of a concession stand, the Bull Creek Fish Camp could be getting a new restaurant building on site.

The funding for the project would come from the statefunded Florida Hurricane Recovery Program, County Administrator Heidi Petito said. The $350 million grant program was funded the state Legislature in 2023, after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, and is designed to fund hurricane recovery projects that do not qualify for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Flagler County applied for funding for two projects — $55,000 to remove a concrete seawall south of Varn Park, and $1.2 million for a drainage project in Marineland. But, Petito said, since the county needed to begin work on the Marineland project before grant funds could be allocated, the county needed to find a new project for the $1.2 million.

Petito said staff decided to expand the Bull Creek Fish Camp project, rebuilding a restaurant on the site, and has received tentative approval from the state. The Flagler County Commission unanimously approved the request to apply the funding to rebuild the Bull Creek restaurant as part of the commission’s consent agenda at its March 18 meeting.

The Bull Creek Fish Camp’s restaurant was flooded from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole and sat in several feet of water for several weeks. The county inspected building and determined it would need to be demolished, as it would be too expensive to fix.

The fish camp’s restrooms and camping area were able to be salvaged. The county, after working with District 4 residents in west Flagler County, originally planned to build a walk-up concession stand to replace the demolished restaurant.

“I would say, just by the feedback I get out there, that they’re going to be actually more excited about this than what we were actually intending to do,” Commissioner Leann Pennington said.

The county had already set aside $290,000 of general fund revenue and $69,000 of park impact fees for the concession stand and other improvements. Petito said the $1.2 million from the state program would likely cover the site improvements and building the restaurant without dipping into the county’s own funding.

Should the project get approval by the state, the new restaurant building will be around the same size as the previous one, 2,500 square feet, with a prefabricated kitchen of 960 square feet, dining space inside and out, air conditioning and a screenedin porch area, Petito said.

The construction will also place three feet of fill on the site before adding concrete slabs, she said.

The restaurant would be quick-service, Petito said, and the prefabricated kitchen would be set up much like a fast-food restaurant.

While rebuilding the restaurant, the county has also planned to replace the dock, repair the seawall caps and replace the septic drain field at Bull Creek.

Consulting firm sues for discrimination

The lawsuit claims that the Carver Center agreement is intended to ‘gentrify and marginalize’ Bunnell’s Black community.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

A public service consulting firm has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Flagler County Commission, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the Flagler County School Board and the Bunnell City Commission. The county’s attorney said, “there is nothing unlawful whatsoever” about the process; FCSO said the lawsuit is “frivolous.”

The lawsuit, filed by Public Service Premier Consulting CEO Eric Josey on March 6, claims that an interlocal agreement between the governing bodies to move the Flagler Police Athletic League into the George Washington Carver Center violates the “Florida Interlocal Cooperation Act of 1969, and [is] against the will of Bunnell’s indigenous Black residents,” a press release said. The lawsuit was filed with the Flagler County Clerk of the Circuit Court.

“[The Carver Center] has historical nature, historical value and they’re just seeking to take over the place,” Josey said. The interlocal has been a point of contention between Bunnell residents and the Flagler County governmental bodies almost since its inception. Josey said the Carver Center interlocal agreement violates the Cooperation Act — Florida Statute 163.01 — by listing the FCSO instead of PAL, which is a private entity and, he said, has no business

being in an interlocal agreement, or ILA.

The press release said adding PAL to the Carver Center despite the will of Bunnell’s Black community was a blatant disregard for Bunnell’s only remaining historical preservation of the former George Washington Carver High School, which was segregated in Flagler County from 1948 to 1967.

“The Black community of Bunnell calls upon the Flagler Sheriff to terminate his pernicious action to displace their youth with floor hockey, shuffleboard, and police intimidation,” the press release said.

Residents have felt that the PAL would be taking up gym space that could be used by Bunnell residents, as well as feared the addition would mean additional fees for residents to use the gym.

“They’re taking over the building,” Josey said.

In response, County Attorney Al Hadeed told the Observer, the intent of the interlocal agreement is to expand services available at the gym.

“The thought process was that, ‘We’re bringing more programs, richer programs, a more robust series of programs there with improvements to the facility and in a safer environment,’” Hadeed said. “So it’s going to be an advantage to

that community, to the youth of that community.”

Hadeed also said the other concern listed in the lawsuit about the manner the interlocal agreement was brought together — including listing the FCSO instead of PAL on the agreement — did not have legal standing.

“There was nothing unlawful whatsoever about that process,” Hadeed said. “It was fully vetted.” Though PAL is a 501c3 nonprofit, it is under the realm of the FCSO, Hadeed said, and can be used to fulfill the interlocal agreement without PAL being listed separately.

The county and the other named bodies still need to file a joint response to the lawsuit, he said, as it is very early in the legal process.

The Observer reached out to the FCSO for comment on the litigation, and though FCSO’s policy is not to comment on pending litigation, FCSO General Counsel John LeMaster wrote the following statement in an email as an exception:

“Mr. Josey’s complaint is frivolous, without merit, and misrepresents the basic facts of the ILA. At the appropriate time, the County, School Board, City of Bunnell and the Sheriff’s Office will file a joint response which will make our position clear.”

Program aims to help local first responders deal with mental health challenges

Since its launch in 2022, LSF Health Systems’ First Responder Peer Support Program and has helped 1,400 first responders.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

As a first responder, Bridget Wick thought dealing with mental health challenges was just a part of the job.

Seeking help, she said, was seen as not being fit for duty, and that’s a stigma she had to surpass when she realized she couldn’t overcome her job-related depression and pain on her own. Wick had already left her job in New York as an EMT and moved to New Smyrna Beach after a divorce when the feelings she’d suppressed caught up with her.

Karen Chrapek, a first responder peer specialist and executive director of Volusia Recovery Alliance, and LSF Health Systems’ First Responder Peer Support Program helped Wick

COPS CORNER

MARCH 9

TEA TIME INTERRUPTED

7:22 a.m. — 1500 block of West Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach Disturbance. A 35-year-old Georgia woman called police over an altercation that began over two hot cups of water. Police report that the woman told officers she arrived at a local gas station, per her usual routine, to grab two hot cups of water to make her morning tea. As she was leaving the gas station, the cashier shouted at her and a verbal argument ensued, according to a police incident report. The woman said they both insulted each other, but that the cashier made racist comments.

overcome her struggles.

“I really wanted to feel like myself again,” Wick said. “Sometimes when you speak with somebody, even just getting your thoughts out there, you feel a little better, or it helps make sense in your head.”

The First Responder Peer Support Program was launched in June 2022 thanks to $12 million in state funding to expand peer-to-peer mental health services for first responders. The funds were dispersed to all six regions of the Department of Children and Families.

LSF’s program is free to all current and former first responders and their families within a 20-county area in the Northeast and Northern Central Florida, including Flagler and Volusia counties.

First responders are invited to call 211 for help, and they will be paired with a first responder peer specialist within 24 hours. That peer specialist will schedule a face-to-face meeting, phone or video call to speak with the first responder, and will continue to be available for a period of up to six months.

The woman said she attempted to give the cups of water back, but that the cashier only took one. As she was leaving, the cashier took a photo of her and in her anger, the woman said she poured the other water cup on the floor before going back to argue with the cashier, at which point a witness reached out his hand to stop her from getting close.

The cashier’s story was similar, with the exception that she claimed the woman was the one to make racist claims against her. Because the cashier was not hit by any water, police determined no crime occurred.

The woman was trespassed from the property.

MARCH 10

NEIGHBOR PROBLEMS

1:11 p.m. — 4600 block of East Moody Boulevard, Bunnell Disorderly conduct. A Bunnell man who was issued an eviction notice

Volusia Recovery Alliance, a nonprofit based in Ormond Beach, has been a provider of the program since mid-August last year. As someone with family members who were first responders, and as a former emergency room health care provider, Chrapek saw firsthand how witnessing traumatic events can make an impact on mental health.

“There is a lot of stigma about asking for help within the first responder population,” she said. “I didn’t ask for help because I didn’t want to be judged, and so my (substance) use continued because I never asked for help until nine years after I realized

“I’m really grateful that we have so many first responders that stepped up and said, ‘Yes, I want to go through the certified recovery peer specialist training to be able to help my fellow colleagues.’”

DR.

CHRISTINE CAUFFIELD, CEO of LSF Health Systems

began screaming and hitting his neighbor’s car with a football. A police officer was called to the scene when the man’s neighbor called the disturbance in, an arrest report said. The man was yelling at everyone who passed by, making the neighbor feel unsafe.

The man was already inside his apartment, blasting music at a high volume and refused to open the door. He eventually opened the door and was arrested for the disturbance.

MARCH 13 EARLY MORNING VISITOR

12:50 p.m. — First block of Kent Drive, Ormond Beach Burglary. Police responded to a home after a 31-year-old Ormond Beach woman discovered she was missing $1,200 and 3.5 grams of her medical marijuana, which she stored in a jewelry box.

that I had a problem. That’s a long run.”

Dr. Christine Cauffield, CEO of LSF Health Systems and a clinical psychologist, said over 1,400 first responders have been served by the program in the last two years.

“First responders have such a unique work environment,” she said. “They see so many traumatic events and experience — countless crises situations every single day and very few professions, you know, compared to that environment. And, as a result, they do have a higher risk for suicide, mental health challenges, substance use and family discord, and so we really want to to be a resource for them and their family members to deal with the behavioral health care challenges that often go hand in hand with the type of work that they do every single day.”

Peer navigators, she said, have been critical to the program’s success because as first responders themselves, they can help connect with the ones in need of help.

“I’m really grateful that we have so many first responders that stepped

The woman said she asked her mother if she had taken the money and marijuana, and her 65-year-old mother denied doing so, saying she had thought her daughter had come home around 2 or 3 a.m, according to a police incident report. When they checked the doorbell camera, they discovered an old friend had approached the front of the home twice during that time period. Police spoke to the friend, who said he had stopped by the home. He claimed he did go inside the home’s garage and “said hello to the dogs,” before hanging up the phone on police. The woman wished to press charges.

MARCH 17 DON’T FLIP OUT

7:50 p.m. — 200 block of South Flagler Avenue, Flagler Beach Misuse of 911. A Flagler Beach man was arrested for calling 911 multiple

up and said, ‘Yes, I want to go through the certified recovery peer specialist training to be able to help my fellow colleagues,’” Cauffield said. Wick is now one of those certified recovery peer specialists. She said she’s excited about doing something she’s passionate about — helping others.

“It’s such an amazing feeling, not only just having things squared away and feeling like I have a purpose again, but I’m so excited to help our local first responders.”

Wick is VRA’s biggest success story surrounding the program, Chrapek said.

“It’s a thrill for me because I really love the fact that, because of this program, we’ve had the opportunity to make a positive impact on somebody’s life,” she said.

First responders often fight silent battles, Wick said, but they don’t have to.

“You’re supposed to be strong because you’re helping other people,” Wick said. “So it’s not OK to not be OK, but it really is OK to not be OK.”

times about his missing flip phone, while using one of his extra cell phones.

The man did not lose his phone, but instead left it behind at a bar he was trespassed from the night before, according to his arrest report. Before leaving the restaurant, he asked the police officer who issued the warning to get it for him, but refused to take the phone when the officer brought it out.

The officer kept the phone to return it the next day. Before the officer could, the man called 911 saying the officer had taken his flip phone and refused to return it. The man called 911 three times for 30 minutes about his phone, even claiming his life was in danger if he couldn’t call anyone because he did not have his flip phone, the report said.

The man was arrested and found to be in possession of three other phones.

BRIEFS

Halifax Health also saw 16 supercross riders from the amateur track days at Daytona International Speedway.

Bike Week brought 93 crashes to Flagler

Bike Week 2024 brought roughly 300,000 visitors to Flagler and Volusia counties. During the 10-day event, which began Friday, March 1 and concluded Sunday, March 10, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and Communications Center saw one of its busiest seasons yet.

The FCSO Communications Center handled a total

of 7,436 calls. Of that number, 1,439 were 911 calls and 6,000 were non-emergency.

Deputies responded to 3,214 calls for service and conducted 717 traffic stops. They also responded to a total of 93 crashes, which included 49 with injury, 30 without, and 14 hit and runs. Also, during Bike Week 2024, deputies made 85 arrests, 42 of which were felonies.

FDOT to resurface part of S.R. 100 on April 1

Flagler County officials advise residents that the Florida Department of Transportation road resurfacing project for State Road 100 – East Moody Boulevard – will begin April 1. The project area runs from North Palmetto Street in Bunnell to Old Kings Road in Palm Coast.

The goal of the FDOT project is to extend the life of the roadway and will also include right turn lanes from eastbound State Road 100 onto Seminole Woods Boulevard and westbound onto Town Center Boulevard, as well as an eastbound right turn lane onto Commerce Parkway. FDOT also reports the following additional improvements: shoulder widening; upgrading the traffic signals at Belle Terre Parkway and Memorial Medical Parkway with new mast arm signal poles; and, the installation of Wrong Way Driving devices at the Interstate 95 interchange off-ramps.

Pedestrian enhancements include:

„ Sidewalk construction „ Crosswalk additions at the S.R. 100 intersections of Landing Boulevard, Bulldog Drive, Town Center Boulevard, Memorial Medical Parkway,

and Old Kings Road „ Curb ramp upgrades to

meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards

State Road 100 will remain open to traffic during construction, according to FDOT, though motorists can expect nighttime single-lane closures between 9 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.

Signage and traffic control devices will direct drivers through the remaining open lanes during these closures. Work at the Interstate 95 ramps will require occasional nighttime ramp closures accompanied by a detour between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

The contractor will maintain access to businesses and residences during construction.Pedestrian detours will be utilized as necessary. Motorists and pedestrians are asked to exercise caution while traveling through the work zone.

DeSantis to sign social media bill

After vetoing an earlier version, Gov. Ron DeSantis last week made clear he will sign a House Bill 3 that seeks to keep children off social-media platforms.

“We really want our kids to not just be wedded to a handful of social media apps,” DeSantis said during an appearance in Polk County. “I don’t think, ultimately, that’s something that is going to be healthy for our society as our kids grow up.”

The bill, in part, would prevent children under age 16 from opening social-media accounts — though it would allow parents to give consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to have accounts. Children under 14 could not open accounts.

Buried seawall projects to begin March 21

Residents can expect to see construction-related activity beginning the week of March 18 for the first of the two buried seawall projects along State Road A1A in Flagler and Volusia counties. The contractor plans to place construction-related signage in Flagler County from just north of South Central Avenue in Flagler Beach and extend south to just below the Volusia/Flagler county line.

Following the signage placement, it is anticipated the construction team will begin working on Thursday, March 21, to shift the travel lanes on S.R. A1A a few feet to the west within the existing asphalt. The traffic shift will allow two-way traffic to continue during the construction of the buried seawall. This work will require a single-lane closure with flagging operations from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day.

Flagler Beach looks to define exceptions to 35-foot height ordinance

‘When is a tower not a tower?’ Cooley asks.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF

WRITER

As the end of Flagler Beach’s 180-day moratorium on new building applications exceeding the city’s 35-foot height maximum creeps forward, the City Commission is looking to clean up the ordinance’s definitions and review some of the exceptions listed.

The moratorium, implemented Nov. 9, expires in May. The Flagler Beach Planning and Architectural Review Board will review the city’s height ordinance — and its exceptions, which allow qualifying builds an extra 14

feet — on April 2. Commission Chair Eric Cooley said the city needs to specifically add in clear definitions for the exceptions and examine the 14-foot extension for them.

“The number one concern is when is a tower not a tower,” Cooley said, using tower as a specific example in the list of exceptions. “…We need to define what a tower is because what’s happening is a ‘tower’ is not defined, so you can essentially call anything a tower.”

The ordinance limits buildings to 35 feet in height, with exceptions for “chimneys, cooling towers, elevators, bulkheads, fire towers, gas tanks, steeples, water towers, ornamental towers or spires, communications, radio or television towers or necessary

mechanical appurtenances.” The exceptions cannot exceed 40% of the 35-foot maximum, which breaks down to a maximum of an additional 14 feet, and cannot be used as livable space.

The moratorium was implemented after conversations last fall of what qualified as certain exemptions.

“When does an architectural element become part of the structure,” he said, “and you’re just wanting to build a 49-foot structure?”

City Manager Dale Martin said any review of the ordinance will not include any consideration to raising the height maximum.

“There is no support to change the height of 35 feet,” Martin said.

Commissioners Rick Bel -

Cooley elected for third Flagler Beach term

Chairman Eric Cooley and Patti King, Flagler Beach’s new mayor, will be sworn in at the March 28 meeting.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Flagler Beach City Commissioner Eric Cooley has been reelected for another three years on the City Commission.

Cooley beat candidate Bob Cunningham with 55.63% of the vote, as of 7:31 p.m. on March 19, Florida’s primary election day, according to the Flagler County Supervisor of Elections website. One Flagler Beach seat and the mayor’s seat were up for election this year.

TRIBUTES

Mary K. Chumley

April 1, 1944 - February 29, 2024

Mary K. Chumley, 79, of Palm Coast, Florida passed away on Thursday, February 29, 2024. She was born on April 1, 1944 in Detroit, Michigan. Mary enjoyed sewing, quilting, and painting. She served as the Vice President of Memory Makers Quilt Guild of Flagler County, Florida.

Mary is survived by her husband of 57 years, Jerre H. Chumley; son, John E. Chumley; son, Michael S. Chumley (wife, Tina Chumley); sister, Patricia Helen Trill (husband, Walter Trill)¬; sister, Margaret Earl (husband, Keith Earl); sister, Kathleen Curcio; brother-in-law, Steven L. Chumley (wife, Rosalind Chumley); grandson, Andrew Chumley; grandson, Nicholas Chumley; granddaughter, Samantha Chumley; and other extended family and friends. She is preceded in death by her son, Charles Byron Chumley; daughter-in-law, Denise Ann Chumley;

Cooley received 820 of 1,474 votes. Cooley was first elected in 2018 and then reelected in 2021 with over 54% of the vote.

Because Mayor Suzie Johnston decided not run for reelection, Patti King, as the only candidate to file and qualify for candidacy, will be Flagler Beach’s new mayor. King is the executive director of the Flagler Beach Historical Museum.

Cooley and King will be sworn into the commission on March 28, the next commission meeting.

Flagler County residents also overwhelmingly voted for former President Donald Trump in the primary race, with 84.72% of the vote.

brother-in-law, Anthony Curcio; and sister-in-law, Edwynna O’Brien. There will be a Celebration of Mary’s life on her birthday, April 1, 2024 at 11AM at Lohman Funeral Home Palm Coast located at 220 Palm Coast Parkway SW, Palm Coast, Florida 32137. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or St. Jude’s Hospital for Children.

humeur and Jane Mealy were in favor of leaving the ordinance and exceptions alone. Mealy did say she was unsure some of the items were necessary exceptions, but even then, she said, “none of this is getting anywhere near 49 feet.”

Commissioner Scott Spradley said there does seem to be some room for adjustments in the ordinance.

“The 40% seems a little high, but I’m open to making some adjustments, just not 35 (feet) for everything,” Spradley said.

Cooley said he agreed that

BRIEFS

Shara Brodsky to run for City Council District 1

Palm Coast resident Shara Brodsky has announced her candidacy for the Palm Coast District 1 City Council seat.

Brodsky has been a Palm Coast resident since 1995 and graduated from Flagler Palm Coast High School. She said she wants to “help implement new ideas for intelligent growth and wise management.”

Originally from Staten Is-

the 40% was too high.

PAR Board Member Joseph Joseph Pozzuoli said he thinks it would be pretty simple to add definitions to those terms, but cautioned the commission about changes to the 40% exception allowance.

As an architect, he said, he knows proportion and scale are key to quality architecture.

“Proportion and scale is going to be what make your quaint town stay a quaint town,” Pozzuoli said. “It’s going to make your buildings high quality.”

The hotel being 47 feet at the highest part, balances the

land, New York, Brodsky is the daughter and granddaughter of New York Police Officers and is married to a United States Army veteran. She manages the boutique Chez Jacqueline in Palm Coast, located at 25 Palm Harbor Village Way.

proportion of the building, he said. Instead of necessarily changing the code, he said, he would like to see the city’s new planner work with the PAR Board to ensure exceptions are high quality, good architecture.

“We try to look at proportion and scale,” Pozzuoli said. There are also other considerations, he said, like required service elevators for some mechanical components, as well as certain safety considerations. It’s important to understand that architecture is more than just structure, he said.

“It’s multifaceted and our proportion and scale is important,” Pozzuoli said. “There are reasons we architects do this.”

Brodsky is known for her commitment to giving back to the community, the press release said. At Chez, she organizes the store’s fundraising events and she is also a member of the following organizations: the Palm Coast Lions Club, Professional Women of Flagler County, and is the event coordinator for S.M.A.R.T. Animal Rescue of Flagler County, the press release said. Brodsky is not affiliated with any party, as she prefers the freedom to choose “issues and solutions outside the constraints of party platforms,” the press release said.

Commissioner Eric Cooley campaigning for reelection with his dog, Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Cooley

Shara Brodsky

The event kicked off this year’s Million Dollar FoodA-Thon to benefit Grace Community Food Pantry.

School on March 16 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Along with the trucks, the event had bounce houses for children to enjoy, a car show and live performances from the band Southern Chaos and artist Robert Keele.

BIZ BUZZ

TRUE ACCESS PRIMARY CARE OPENS PALM COAST OFFICE

True Access Primary Care is celebrating the grand opening of its new office in Palm Coast with a ribbon cutting event at 5-7 p.m. Thursday, March 21.

The healthcare provider’s new office is located at 55 Plaza Drive, Suite D7, next to Outback Steakhouse. The grand opening will include door prizes, networking and refreshments. The ribbon cutting will be at 5:15 p.m.

True Access is a direct primary care provider serving businesses and individuals. It has been open in Flagler County since September. CEO Lisa Magary, is a nurse practitioner dual-certified in family practice and pediatrics.

“Research has demonstrated that having a good primary care provider prevents hospitalizations and unnecessary over-utilization of the healthcare system,” Magary said in a press release. “We are direct primary care which allows for direct relationship between the provider and the patient. We want you to have insurance, but it’s not required at our office.”

Greg Blosé, president and CEO of the Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce, said the county needs more healthcare options. “Flagler County’s population is growing, and we need our local healthcare companies to grow, too,” Blosé said in the press release. “Far too often, Flagler County residents are forced out of town for important healthcare appointments because we don’t have enough healthcare services available locally. This is why the open-

ing of new healthcare businesses, like True Access Primary Care, is important to the entire community.”

True Access Primary Care also offers additional services such as bioidentical hormone replacement, injectable weight loss programs, IV therapy and SoftWave therapy.wwv

ORMOND BEACH ATTORNEY MARKS

10-YEAR MILESTONE

Erum S. Kistemaker, of Kistemaker Business Law Firm in Ormond Beach, is celebrating her 10 year anniversary as a Martindale-Hubbel rated AV Preeminent attorney. This is given to attorneys who are ranked at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards by their peers, according to a press release. She is her firm’s managing attorney and shareholder. The condo, HOA, real estate and business law attorney has also had an active role in new and changing legislation regarding Florida condo law.

“It is hard to believe it’s been 10 years, and I am now — and have been — tremendously honored to receive this designation,” Kistemaker said. Kistemaker serves within the Real Property Probate and Trust Law section of the Florida Bar and has served on the Condominium & Planned Development Committee as well as the Senate Bill 4D Substantive and Education Task Forces.

A graduate of Seabreeze High School and the University of Miami School of Law, Kistemaker was a certified legal intern for the Office of the Public Defender in Miami, as well as for a federal court judge there.

Paul Vargo with his lunch from Cool Beans BBQ and Catering.

Tracy Slater, owner of Stella’s Coffee, with her golden retriever, Stella. Slater said this was only her third even since opening up shop. Photos by Sierra Williams

Andrea Arnold, owner of Andrea’s Italian Ice said this was her first time at the Palooza, but she hopes to be back next year.

Reyna Quintana and Eunice Hernandez, the co-owners of Las Tres Carnalas.

Lisa Magary

Erum Kistemaker

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

Ocean Hammock home is Flagler’s highest sale

Ahouse in Ocean Hammock was the top real estate transaction for Jan. 25-31 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. Kevin and Eileen Van Fleet, of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, sold 38 Atlantic Place to Deloris Marsicano, of Las Vegas, Nevada, for $860,000. Built in 2007, the house is a 4/3.5 and has 3,246 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $757,000.

PALM COAST Lehigh Woods Brite Life Ventures, LLC, of Orlando, sold 13 Radnor Place to Tatiana and Andrei Gor, of Palm Coast, for $458,300. Built in 2023, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,306 square feet.

Matanzas Lakes Seagate Homes, LLC, of Palm Coast, sold 20 Tideway Trail to Kenneth and Linda Doerr, of Palm Coast, for $416,900. Built in 2023, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,813 square feet.

square feet. It sold in 2015 for $200,000.

Mercedes Mahony, of Smithtown, New York, sold 3580 South Ocean Shore Blvd., Unit 705, to Andrew Esterly Jr. and Bonnie Esterly, of Flagler Beach, for $435,000. Built in 1982, the condo is a 3/2 and has 1,695 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $205,000.

Matanzas Shores James and Catherine Giddens, of Palm Coast, sold 20 Las Casitas Blvd. to Michael and Debra Albino, of Brooklyn, New York, for $460,000. Built in 2020, the house is a 4/2 and has 2,003 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $350,000.

Ocean Hammock William Mayhew Jr. and Deborah Mayhew, of Palm Coast, sold 20 Blue Heron Lane to Gary Kinnick and Constance Suzanne Kinnick, of Palm Coast, for $775,000. Built in 2000, the house is a 4/2.5

and has a pool, a hot tub, an outdoor kitchen and 2,438 square feet. It sold in 2014 for $410,000.

Palm Harbor Ann Nichols, as trustee, sold 53 Felwood Lane to Yuriy Okrugin and Yuliya Kilmova, of Palm Coast, for $510,000. Built in 2019, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,797 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $274,000.

A.W.E. 2015 investments, LLC, of Pompano Beach, sold 19 Farragut Drive to Gloria Magdalena Nobelle and Aristides Chavez Martinez, of Palm Coast, for $289,900. Built in 1974, the house is a 4/2 and has a fireplace and 1,578 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $245,000.

Pine Grove Jessica Cummins, of Charlotte, North Carolina, sold 11 Pepperdine Drive to Yakov Belkin, of Bunnell, for $240,000. Built in 2005, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,522 square feet.

Quail Hollow Yakov Belkin, of Bunnell, sold 23 Lloshire Path to Brandy Robbins, of Palm Coast, for $395,000. Built in 2005, the house is a 5/2.5 and has 2,818 square feet. It sold in 2023 for $290,100.

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

Pool home in Ormond Beach tops sales list

Ahouse on John Anderson Drive was the top real estate transaction for Feb. 4-10 in Ormond Beach and Ormond-by-the-Sea. Sara Sally Oates, of Ormond Beach, sold 85 John Anderson Drive to Robert Lakso Blanchard, of Ormond Beach, for $725,000. Built in 1957, the house is a 3/3 and has a pool and 2,895 square feet. It sold in 2014 for $350,000.

ALEXIS MILLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Condos Pamela Groome, of Ormond Beach, sold 10 Lynnhurst Drive, Unit 1020, to Brabara Sodano, of Ormond Beach, for $195,000. Built in 1974, the condo is a 2/1.5 and has 930 square feet. It sold in 2023 for $159,900.

ORMOND BEACH

Halifax Plantation

D.R. Horton, Inc., of Orlando, sold 2773 Portadown Street to Sarah Anne Mancuso and Laurie Marie Mancuso, of Ormond Beach, for $383,000. Built in 2023, the house is a 5/3 and has 2,447 square feet.

Lincoln Park

Corey and Megan Weber, of Rincon, Georgia, sold 278 Selden Ave. to Brett John Galt, Jr., of Ormond Beach, for $210,000. Built in 1961, the house is a 3/1 and has 936 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $125,000.

Northbrook

Helen Tolko, of Ormond Beach, sold 128 Northbrook Lane to Tracy and Bianca Lash, as trustees, for $279,900. Built in 1981, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,137 square feet. It sold in 2023 for $165,000.

Not in a subdivision

Charles and Gail Hageman, of Denton, North Carolina, sold 280 South Old Kings Road to William and Jenny Corso, of Ormond Beach, for $415,000. Built in 2000, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,807 square feet.

James and Sierra Holcombe, of Edgewater, sold 103 Hickory Hills Circle to Kurt Drayer, Jr. and Kryste Gainey, of Ormond beach, for $339,900. Built in 1976, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,540 square feet. It sold in 2019 for $212,500.

River Oaks

2,345 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $424,000.

Southern Pines

OP SPE TPA1, LLC, of Chandler, Arizona, sold 110 Chrysanthemum Drive to Timothy and Lori Lauro, of Ormond beach, for $462,000. Built in 2006, the house is a 3/2.5 and has 1,923 square feet. It sold in 2023 for $425,000.

The Trails

Christine Marinaccio Kaney, as trustee, sold 9 River Ridge Trail to Daniel Spinner and Thomas Wilson, of Ormond Beach, for $505,000. Built in 1981, the house is a 4/3.5 and has a fireplace, a a pool and 4,260 square feet. It sold in 2013 for $220,000.

Woodgrove Vinatta Investment Group LLC, of Lake Mary, sold 58 South Center Street to Scott Strasser, of Ormond Beach, for $385,000. Built in 1991, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,459 square feet. It sold in 2023 for $239,000.

ORMOND BY THE SEA Seabridge South Cherese Ganzer Living Trust, of Rocky Point, New York, sold 12 Sea Raven Terrace to Joan and Daniel Mills, of Ormond Beach, for $381,900. Built in 1989, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,519 square feet. It sold in 1993 for $125,000.

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

Alexandra Sandy Hobdy and

Gerard Raymond and Pamela Harman, of Ormond beach, sold 308 River Vale Lane to Richard and Kathryn Schaum, of Ormond Beach, for $510,000. Built in 2015, the house is a 4/3 and has

Ask the mayor

Regrading swales is just the beginning

THE WEEK

PALM COAST Observer

14 weirs and 177 miles of ditches to reach the Intracoastal Waterway or the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, water passes under many roads through 3,300 pipes. It costs money to maintain this intricately connected system so that water flows efficiently and does not cause flooding to any home.

DAVID ALFIN PALM COAST MAYOR

The following question was recently asked by resident. The mayor’s response follows:

Why does the city stormwater department need so much money to just dig out our swales? We all pay a lot of money every month for stormwater maintenance fees. It can’t cost that much for digging and then replacing the sod. Where does all that money go?

Our responsibilities for maintenance of our city’s stormwater system are so much more complex than just fixing swales. We have a massive structure to address:

When the water flows through our 1,200 miles of operational swales, it conveys through 58 miles of canals,

Aside from repairing swales and replacing sod, we have additional expert staff and crews who are essential to helping coordinate the processes and keeping them running congruently and effortlessly.

First, we have an operations group that handles numerous inspections. These inspections include work in the right of way (areas along the side of the roadways), swale inspections, new driveway inspections, drainage plans on new homes and drainage impacts from pools and other structures. The operations group also includes surveyors and swale specialists to ensure the swales, ditches, and canals are at the correct elevation so they can flow in the right direction within the right of way or city property.

Second, we have a staff of engineers to review and create designs

when pipes or other infrastructure must be replaced or modified. These folks are also responsible for management of a variety of capital improvement projects across the city.

Adding together the swale maintenance crews, operations group and engineering staff, Palm Coast has a total of 64 employees who keep our system up and running. City Council recently agreed to a modest raise in stormwater fees to cover the rising costs of staff and equipment.

With this information, you now know that whenever you see our swale crews digging and repairing along our streets, you’re seeing the beginning of a multi-faceted process that is preserving our whole system to keep water away from our homes and businesses. Please feel free to call any of our department members If you have any questions.

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.

Shawntrese

Lee-Armour

 Branch of military: U.S. Army

 Dates of service: 1992-1997

 Rank/occupation: Seaman / Ships Serviceman

 Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

Shawntrese Lee-Armour enlisted in the U.S. Navy and attended bootcamp in Orlando. She was assigned to the destroyer, U.S.S. Sierra, and initially trained as a Master-at-arms, the Navy’s law enforcement, receiving security forces and emergency vehicle operations training. After an injury she was redesignated a Ships Serviceman, a Navy job as old as the service itself. The duty entails operating the ship’s retail stores, laundry services, and even barber shops.

“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

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EVENTS

GARDEN CLUB AT PALM COAST TO HOST BUS TRIP TO STATE

During her Navy tour, Lee-Armour got credit for one year of sea duty, earned the National Defense Service Medal and a Humanitarian Services Medal. She separated from military service at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville and received an honorable discharge. She worked briefly for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in parking enforcement and then as a dispatcher with the Florida Highway Patrol before being hired by the Department of Veterans Affairs. She worked for the VA in various positions for 8 years before moving to Palm Coast in 2019.

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YOUR NEIGHBORS

So long, Coach D

Colleagues, friends, family and 1,200 Old Kings students surrounded the track to honor their PE teacher as his final field-day week ended.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Old Kings Elementary School PE teacher Michael D’Ascheberg, known as Coach D to his generations of students, got quite a surprise after his final field day at Flagler Schools.

“I was taking down tables, putting equipment away and all of a sudden they said, ‘Coach can you please report to the middle of the track.’ There’s 1,500 people out there, including all the students, and I was totally in shock,” D’Ascheberg said. “Then, when I saw my wife and my granddaughter and my daughter, I just started crying.”

D’Ascheberg is retiring at the end of the school year after 28 years as a teacher and coach in the school district. He was a PE teacher for 10 years at Indian Trails, when it was a K-8 school, and he has been at Old Kings for the past 18 years.

D’Ascheberg won Flagler Schools’ Teacher of the Year award in 2009. He has been running field days in Flagler County since 1996, when he was one of the original teachers at Indian Trails. He ran his final field days March 12-14 at Old Kings with two grade levels each day, each grade participating in two-hour-and15-minute blocks.

The children competed in foot races, potato sack relays, tug of war and hole-in-the-cup and water soaker relays in which the classes compete to get the most water in their bucket.

Fellow PE teacher Jan-Michael Scott and music teacher Dr. Rodney Harshbarger helped D’Ascheberg run the field days. Harshbarger has helped D’Ascheberg run field days at Old Kings for 17 years, and before

that at Indian Trails since that school opened in 1996.

“The field days have adapted over the years,” said Harshbarger, who was Flagler Schools Teacher of the Year in 2002. “It’s more about the kids having fun and having all the

kids laugh and giggle than one or two super athletes winning everything.”

Most of the events are competitions between the classes rather than

FPC student, recovered from injuries, selected for college forum

Iyonna Robinson is raising money to help pay for the eight-day program at either UC Berkeley or Yale.

BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Flagler Palm Coast High School junior Iyonna Robinson hopes to have a career in business. She has been selected to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum: Business Innovation this summer at either the University of California, Berkeley, or Yale University. A year ago, she was fighting for her life after suffering serious injuries from a frightening car accident on Belle Terre Parkway. On Jan. 13, 2023, Robinson and two other FPC girls basketball players were turn-

ing left onto Pine Grove Drive from a southbound lane on Belle Terre when they were T-boned by a car heading north.

Robinson, who was sitting in the

front passenger seat, took the brunt of the impact. She was airlifted to Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville with a broken pelvis and femur. She underwent four surgeries. The most recent was in October, when she was to have an implant in her pelvis removed, but she suffered a ruptured vein and almost bled out, her mother, Dayonna Robinson, said. Iyonna has since recovered and is active and healthy, her mother said. She received the invitation to the business leadership forum after taking her SATs, Dayonna Robinson said.

Iyonna and her mom set up a GoFundMe page to try to raise as much as $5,000 to pay for tuition, room, materials and other costs. The $5,000 doesn’t include her flight or food during the eight-day program at either of the college campuses. Her preference is to attend the program at Berkeley.

“It was so emotional that I tried to slow it down in my mind and I just couldn’t do it.”

COACH MICHAEL D’ASCHEBERG

She said she works at Walmart and her parents, family and friends are helping pay expenses.

“I am beyond excited about this opportunity because a year ago I was in the ICU battling my life from a car accident! Nearly died TWICE…BUT GOD!” she wrote on the GoFundMe page. “This opportunity will give me a chance to expand my skills needed for college and future milestones … I will be attending seminars, actual campus business classes, startup simulations, etc.”

Iyonna was in a wheelchair for a month after the accident and underwent therapy three times a week for three months, her mother said. Dayonna Robinson said the leadership forum is an amazing opportunity.

“It’s definitely a blessing, especially after last year,” she said. “We’re blessed she was able to emotionally overcome everything she’s gone through.”

individuals, he said.

D’Ascheberg said his final week of field days was emotional. But the emotions became especially hard to keep in check when the entire school came out to honor him after the fifth graders’ activities were done on the afternoon of March 14.

“They brought the whole school out onto the track, all 1,200 kids,” he said. They brought my old principals, my old administrators, my principal now (Nicole Critcher), my administrators now, the guidance counselors — all the people that I’ve work with all those years all showed up. It was all planned in 24 hours, but they all showed up around the track along with my wife, my daughter and our brand new granddaughter. And I walked around the track. It took me 15 minutes and the kids all made signs and I hugged and kissed every teacher and I hugged and kissed the lunch ladies and custodians, the grounds keepers and everybody. It was so emotional that I tried to slow it down in my mind and I just couldn’t do it. But I told everybody that I loved them and I still have two more months to teach, so I’m sure I’ll be seeing everybody again.”

Flagler Schools Superintendent

LaShakia Moore also was there for the celebration and even participated in some of the field day events.

D’Ascheberg suspects that his daughter-in-law Heather D’Ascheberg, who also teaches at Old Kings, helped organize the surprise.

D’Ascheberg began teaching in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, in 1980, days after his college graduation. With the student population decreasing, leading to his layoff, he bought a Dairy Queen with his brother-in-law in Middletown, New York. In 1995, D’Ascheberg, his wife, Cindy, and their children moved to Palm Coast to help take care of Cindy’s parents.

Michael and Cindy have three children — Michael Jr., Nicholas and Felicia — and six grandchildren. Michael plans to continue his part-time business as a realtor, but he expects he won’t stay away from Flagler Schools for long.

“Cindy and I got married when we were in college, and we had a family. And I always had teaching, coaching and a part-time job, so we’re going to try to enjoy whatever years we have left, and just try to enjoy our family,” he said. “But eventually when I start missing it real bad, I’ll probably go back and volunteer and I’ll substitute and I’ll mentor anybody they want me to mentor. I’ll go for as long as the good Lord keeps me around.”

If you’d like to donate, go to https:// www.gofundme.com/f/nationalyouth-leadership-forum-berkeley?

Fourth grade students race at Old Kings Elementary School.

Music teacher Rodney Harshbarger and PE coach Michael D’Ascheberg, have worked field days together at Old Kings Elementary School for 17 years. Both are former Flagler Schools’ Teachers of the Year. Photo by Brent Woronoff

Students compete in the hole-in-the-cup relay.

Fourth grade students begin a race.

Iyonna Robinson, who was seriously injured in a Jan. 13, 2023 car accident involving two other FPC basketball players, has been selected to attend a National Youth Leadership Forum on Business Innovation at the University of California, Berkeley or Yale University. Courtesy photos

Nonprofit helps kids, young adults, celebrate birthdays with new friends

Yes You’re Invited will hold its first Birthday Bash at Palm Coast Community Center on Sunday, and yes — you’re invited.

OBSERVER STAFF

After a successful opening event in December, Yes You’re Invited Inc. has announced its first Community Birthday Bash to be held 2 p.m. Sunday, March 24, at the Palm Coast Community Center.

The nonprofit Y2I2 was formed last year after the Kocher family saw a need for various groups of children and young adults to be included in social events, according to a press release.

Y212’s current mission is to throw birthday parties for kids and young adults who otherwise would not have the ability to come together with a group of peers to celebrate their special day. Although many of Y212’s participants have disabilities or special needs, that is not a requirement. “We want to help children and

YOUR TOWN

OVER 20 FLAGLER TEACHERS ATTEND STEM LEARNING EVENT

Utilizing an $11,000 Florida Power and Light grant that the Flagler County Education Foundation secured last year, Flagler Schools held a STEM training event for teachers on March 9.

The grant is a part of FPL’s Empowering STEM Educators program to increase teacher knowledge of effective math and science instructional practices that align with Florida Standards through peerto-peer learning of best practices within a school district. Heidi Alves, Flagler Schools’ teaching and learning specialist

young adults in our community feel accepted and make friends in an environment supporting inclusion,”

Rosanne Kocher said.

Y2I2 held an opening event for the community with a Holiday Party in December.

The idea came from the Kochers’ 10-year-old daughter, Annabelle, after her own birthday party included many new friends with unique challenges. She said, “I wish we could do that all the time.” So her parents, Chris and Rosanne said, “Why can’t we?”

At the time, Annabelle was participating in the Penguin Project, an organization that pairs participants with disabilities with non-disabled peers to produce theater productions. The Flagler Playhouse, a Penguin Project chapter, presented the play, “Annie Jr.”

Here, she met new friends to invite to her party. The Penguin Project was a large group, but the family didn’t want anyone to feel left out. She she also invited friends from Vincent’s Clubhouse, a local organization that supports children and young adults those with autism.

The party had a great turnout. The

for science, led Flagler’s Purposeful Learning Event at Buddy Taylor Middle School’s media center. Over 20 elementary and middle school teachers in the district were engaged in five lessons and took home $100 worth of teacher kits to implement those lessons in their classrooms.

Facilitators for the event were Alves, Allison Cencebaugh, Jamie Lambert, Marissa Blandeburgo, Tracy Jones, Katherine Acosta, Linda Schultz, Deawndra Huffman and Natalie Sonzogni-Muldoon.

DAYTONA BEACH BLUES SOCIETY TO HOST FIRST FUNDRAISING FESTIVAL

The Daytona Beach Blues Society is hosting the first Turkey Blues Fundraising Festival from 1-9 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 at Ormond Brewing Company, located at 301 Division Ave., Unit 15, in Ormond Beach.

The festival has free admission, but donations are encouraged. The Chase Academy for Kids with Autism and the Parkinson’s Association of Greater Daytona Beach are

the beneficiaries of this event. This event is sponsored in part by Young Corporation. Bring your own chairs and hear three bands perform during the eight-hour event. The schedule is as follows:

„ 1-3 p.m. — The Taylor Road Band „ 4-6 p.m. — Debbie D. and Vintage Now!

„ 7-9 p.m. — the Voodoo Monkeys Grammy Nominee Chance Gardner will also perform on the Garden Stage from 3-4 p.m. and 6-7 p.m.

diversity in the room was apparent: blindness, Down syndrome, autism, invisible disabilities and nondisabled peers. There was karaoke. One non-verbal girl sang with a friend in her own unique way. Others danced together. There was encouragement, excitement, happiness, and, most importantly, inclusion. In Annabelle’s words: “It was the best party ever!”

This inclusion is Y2I2’s goal for each party going forward. The first Birthday Bash will celebrate four special guests, who have birthdays this quarter. Those who may not otherwise be invited and included are also invited. It’s an open guest list for all to come and have a great time. The party will include music, subs and cake, a small egg hunt, social activities, mad libs, jokes that party goers can pick and tell and birthday card making stations.

Y2I2 is accepting applications for those with summer birthdays for the summer party. Go to www.y2i2.org or their Facebook page. Donations can also be made at either site.

VOLUSIA LIBRARIES OFFER SPRING INTO READING CHALLENGE

Volusia County Public Library card holders are invited to participate in a virtual Spring into Reading six-week reading challenge beginning Sunday, April 7. Readers can log their days read into the library’s reading platform, Beanstack, to earn virtual badges and entries into a prize drawing. Beanstack is a digital platform designed to help users track reading and log activities. Preregistration begins Monday, April 1, at https://volusialibrary.org or by visiting one of Volusia County Public Library’s 14 branches. Readers can also join and participate in the challenge any time between April 7 and May 18. Registered participants can also stop by any library branch to claim a small incentive during the challenge.

Annabelle Kocher (center) had an idea that led her parents, Chris and Rosanne, to start the non-profit, Yes You’re Invited. Courtesy photo

Facilitators at the Flagler’s Purposeful Learning Event: Allison Cencebaugh, Jamie Lambert, Marissa Blandeburgo, Tracy Jones, Katherine Acosta, Heidi Alves, Linda Schultz, Deawndra Huffman and Natalie Sonzogni-Muldoon. Courtesy photo

Senior honors

FPC’s Gales helps spread the wealth on senior night

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

After scoring two quick goals, Jordan Gales told coach Matt Massey that he was going to ease up. That was the game plan for Flagler Palm Coast’s boys lacrosse team on senior night.

“I told the coach I was going to settle down, because if I scored too soon, it’d be a running clock and I just wanted to let everybody else enjoy the moment,” Gales said.

Gales ended the game with three goals and three assists. And four other seniors — Trenton Ellis, Brandon Calidonio, Will Fafel and Brandon Duncan — also scored for the Bulldogs in their 14-1 victory against Jacksonville Mandarin on March 15.

Before the game, the Bulldogs honored their six seniors — Gales, Ellis, Calidonio, Fafel, Duncan and

defender Kevin Beatty, who had two takeaways in the game

“We were trying to get everyone involved, and I think that was Jordan’s main goal tonight, and that just shows you his selflessness,” Massey said. “So I think that speaks volumes about him as a person and as a player.”

Gales leads the team and the district with 20 goals, and he is also third in the district in assists with 13. On senior night, he was just one of eight Bulldogs to put the ball between the pipes. Ellis also scored three goals, Calidonio and Fafel scored two

Bulldogs girls

lacrosse team celebrates its senior class

BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Flagler Palm Coast girls lacrosse coach Katie Kastner recounted some of the achievements of her four seniors. Most of those had little to do with lacrosse.

The Bulldogs honored Nicole Vega, Ella Oshri, Gwen Vargas and Chloe Long on senior night Friday, March 15, during halftime of their home game with Jacksonville Mandarin.

“They’re great kids, dual enrolled, IB program, great GPAs. The world is their oyster. They’re going to do great things, and I can’t wait to see that,” Kastner said.

FPC is playing with a lot of younger players this year who are relatively new to the sport. The Bulldogs fell

apiece and Duncan, Gavin Winkler, Dominick King and Carsen Ellis each scored one goal.

Duncan, a defensive middie, and Fafel, playing in his third game, scored their first goals of the season.

“We were trying to get each one of our seniors a goal or something that they can be proud of tonight,” Massey said. “We got most of them a goal. The whole team played tonight, so it was a big team effort to try to get the seniors to have a great night.”

Since their season-opening loss to Matanzas, FPC has had nothing but good nights. They have won five in a row and have held their opponents to two or fewer goals three times.

“After Matanzas, it left like a sour taste in our mouth, so we just had to get that out quick, and now we’re 5-1,” Gales said. Sophomore goalie Aiden Commendatore ranks seventh in the nation in save percentage (79.7%), according to MaxPreps listings. Calidonio ranks 11th in the nation in faceoff winning percentage (82.1%).

“There are a lot of new players, but everyone’s picking it up pretty quick with Brandon facing off and Aiden in goal,” Gales said. “Aiden moved from Pennsylvania, and he’s been amazing.”

After the game, the Bulldogs carried Commendatore off the field.

“He’s just a phenomenal goalie and a blessing to our team,” Massey said. “To me, he’s like a brick wall.”

Massey is in his first season as FPC’s coach and he was hired late, so he and his assistant coach — his father Steve Massey — were still working out the kinks when they lost their season-opener 8-5 at Matanzas.

“I think that game lit a little fire under us,” Matt Massey said. “I think that could have been the best thing for us to lose that first game. I told the boys, let’s harness that loss and let’s start to use that to our advantage, and I think that we’ve done that moving forward. I couldn’t be happier about the team rallying around each other and coming along so far after that first loss.”

Gales, who has almost matched his 2023 scoring total of 23 goals, has been a big part of the Bulldogs’ success.

“I told Jordan when we started the season that I was going to put a lot of weight on his shoulders,” Matt Massey said. “I wanted him to be the glue of this team and hold everything together and run everything basically through him. He’s a great scorer, but he’s a better team player. He’s always trying to get guys involved, and he’s trying to help the team grow. So, as a coach, I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

to 2-10 with an 8-3 loss to Mandarin. But two days before that game, they won a thrilling 8-7 home game against Matanzas. After a foul was called in the final minute, Long scored the winner on a free position shot. “She just pulled it and it went right in. It was great,” Kastner said. Junior Carly Griffin scored four of the Bulldogs’ goals against the Pirates.

“That was a good win,” Kastner said. “We’ve struggled this year; we’ve got some young girls. We’re

trying to play a more year-round concept, trying to get them going over the summer, but it was a well fought win. We’re moving the ball pretty well. We’re definitely getting better.”

The Bulldogs’ victory avenged an 8-6 loss to Matanzas on Feb. 20 at the Pirates’ field. That was Matanzas’ first win in six years against its county rival.

Vargas, a defender/midfielder, will continue her lacrosse career next season at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens.

“She’s a great pickup for the coach,” Kastner said. “She’s a great kid. She works hard. She’s very coachable. So it’ll be cool to see her play on the next level.”

The other seniors will be concentrating on academics in college.

Long and Oshri have been on FPC’s team for four years.

Long is one of six winners statewide of the Take Stock in Children’s Leaders 4 Life Fellowship, which includes a $40,000 college scholarship. She plans to become a pediatric

nurse and will likely attend the University of Florida.

Oshri, FPC’s senior class president, plans to attend Florida International University and major in international business, Kastner said. Vega, who is new to the team this year, plans to attend Daytona State College and study political science, Kastner said.

“It’s a solid group, a solid class,” Kastner said.

Email Brent Woronoff at brent@ observerlocalnews.com.

Flagler Palm Coast baseball team completes season sweep of Matanzas

five freshmen and sophomores at FPC, including pitcher Reggie Bass. The sophomore lefty had control issues, walking five batters in 2/3 of an inning.

Once runners got in scoring position, the Pirates changed their pitch signs on the fly, exacerbating the situation.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Flagler Palm Coast scored five runs in the top of the first inning and that would be all Bulldogs starter Dalton Roberts would need in a 10-3 win over cross-town rival Matanzas on the Bulldogs’ home field Thursday, March 14.

Roberts, pitching his first extensive stint of the season, gave up four hits and two unearned runs in five innings.

“Dalton did a great job,” FPC coach Kyle Marsh said.

The win gave the Bulldogs a sweep of the Pirates this season. FPC also defeated Matanzas 9-5 on March 8 at the Pirates’ field.

Matanzas, which fell to 6-6 with a 7-1 loss to Seabreeze the following night, has several young players in its starting lineup. The Pirates started

“It was unfortunate Reggie couldn’t get out of the first,” Matanzas coach Jim Perry said. “Reggie’s a sophomore and our catcher, Liam (Smith), is a sophomore. So, we’re in the middle of the inning standing on the mound changing our signal system around. And that’s a huge learning curve to do right in the middle of the game. Not only do you have to concentrate on throwing strikes. You’ve got to concentrate on dealing with the runner. Now, we got a concentrate on doing those two things and thinking about making sure I’m throwing the right pitch, I don’t cross the catcher up, and that’s a little bit different. But it is what it is. You got to go out and compete.”

FPC senior Cody Clymer, who came into the game with just seven at-bats, belted a two-run single to left field in the first. The Hillsborough Community College signee

had off-season shoulder surgery and then tore a muscle in his back early in the season. He said he won’t be able to pitch or play in the field this year.

“I have to take two months off (from throwing),” he said. “I might be DH’ing. It just depends on how I’m hitting. I hit pretty good last year. It’s been hard trying to pick it back up, especially not being able to play the field.”

Clymer was the designated hitter against the Pirates. Besides the single, his second hit of the season, he also was hit by a pitch in the fifth and went on to score a run.

“It was good to see him out there taking advantage of opportunities and being able to contribute in any way he can to the team,” Marsh said.

The Bulldogs had just five hits in the game, including three in the first when they sent 11 batters to the plate, but they also took advantage of 10 bases on balls.

“It was good to see us come out relaxed when a guy on the mound was struggling with the command of his pitches, just to settle in and see some good pitches,” Marsh said.

FPC leadoff hitter Connor May had two runs batted in and scored a run. Marion Clayton scored two runs

and drove in a run. Kevin Maya stole home in the third. Roberts struck out four batters and walked one. Adam Kleinfelder followed the senior with a perfect sixth inning. Submarine-ball pitcher Isaiah Munoz pitched the seventh, allowing an unearned run.

The Bulldogs fell to 4-4 with a 6-4 home loss to Lake City Columbia the next night. FPC battled back from a 5-1 deficit. Matanzas played

18.

“These are great experiences,” Perry said. “It’s early in the season, so we have a lot of opportunities to learn and grow, and we’re excited about it.”

FPC senior Brandon Duncan (4) with his family, including brother Jayden Duncan (12), a sophomore on the team.

Senior Jordan Gales with his family. Photos by Brent Woronoff

FPC’s girls lacrosse seniors Nicole Vega, Gwen Vargas, Chloe Long and Ella Oshri with their families. Photo by Brent Woronoff

Seabreeze at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach on March 15 and was scheduled to play host to Ocala Vanguard at St. Johns River State College in Palatka on Monday, March

Dalton Roberts pitched five strong innings; Cody Clymer, who is limited to designated-hitter duties, had a two-run single.

FPC reliever Isaiah Munoz threw submarine pitches in the seventh inning.

Senior Trenton Ellis

Senior Will Fafel with his family.

Senior Brandon Calidonio

LINES

CRONK WINS SHOT

AT BOB HAYES

Flagler Palm Coast’s Colby Cronk won the shot put at the Bob Hayes Invitational in Jacksonville on March 16 with a new school record of 53 feet, 11 inches. Cronk broke his own record of 52-11.5 at the North Florida/South Florida Challenge a week earlier.

Cronk also finished second in discus at the Bob Hayes meet with a toss of 153-06. FPC’s Jack Gilvary and Summer Barnes were scholarship winners at the meet.

Flagler Palm Coast soccer trio signs national letters of intent

Flagler Palm Coast senior Savannah O’Grady already had a relationship with Eastern Florida State College women’s soccer coach Scott Carswell before O’Grady suffered an ACL tear this season.

Carswell helped the O’Gradys connect with the team’s doctor, who performed Savannah’s ACL reconstruction surgery and meniscus repair. At that point there was no doubt which school she would choose to continue her soccer career.

“That solidified that Coach Scott is all about helping me as a person rather than me as just a player,” she said.

O’Grady was one of three FPC girls soccer players to sign letters of intent on March 12 to play soccer in college. O’Grady signed with Eastern Florida State, which is a junior college; midfielder/forward Kaitlyn Steiner signed with Warner University, which competes on the NAIA level; and defender Samantha Jennings signed with Coker University, an NCAA Division II school.

O’Grady, a defensive midfielder, scored 11 goals in eight games before suffering the knee injury in a game at Matanzas on Dec. 5. The team’s “speaking captain,” O’Grady “continued leading from the sidelines,”

BIG WEEK FOR FPC’S NICK GROTH

Two days after winning two titles at the Five Star Conference boys weightlifting championships, Flagler Palm Coast senior Nick Groth broke three school records at a meet at Suwannee High School on March 15. Groth set records for 183 pounds in the clean and jerk (320 pounds), snatch (255) and Olympic total (575).

Groth won the Olympic and traditional championships in the 183-pound class at the Five Star meet on March 13 at Spruce Creek High School. He lifted a 550-pound Olympic total and a 595 traditional total with a 315-pound clean and jerk and 280-pound bench press. The Bulldogs placed fourth in

athletic director Scott Drabczyk said in introducing the three players at the school’s signing ceremony. She never missed a game, including the Bulldogs’ district championship contest on Jan. 31 — one day after her surgery in Orlando.

“I took my pain meds and made my way over (to Daytona State College),”

both the traditional and Olympic competitions at the conference meet. They also had a runner-up: Joseph Casanova in Olympic at 235 pounds. Seabreeze’s Ezra Williams (199 pounds, Olympic) and FPC’s Cody Strawster (119 pouds, Olympic and traditional) took home thirdplace medals.

THREE TATERS

AT JRB FOR SANDCRABS

Seabreeze hit three home runs in its 7-1 baseball win against Matanzas on March 15 at Jackie Robinson

Ballpark. Rustin Hurley and Noah Katsikos smacked solo homers, while Zane Barron hit a two-run shot. Micah Sanders pitched six shutout innings for the Sandcrabs.

she said. “I wouldn’t have missed it for nothing.”

The Bulldogs played their final 15 games without O’Grady, but her 11 goals still led the team at the end of the season.

Six weeks after her surgery, she started juggling a soccer ball again. After six months she hopes to be able

Sanders struck out 10, walked two and allowed two hits.

BUCS SHINE AT BIG D RELAYS

Mainland won the girls team title and finished second among boys teams at the Big D Relays in DeLand on March 16. Matanzas placed third among girls and fifth among boys. Seabreeze’s girls team was fifth and boys team sixth. Among the few individual events, Mainland’s Marquis McCants won the boys long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 5.25 inches; Seabreeze’s Hunter Shuler won the boys 1,600 with a time of 4:39.74; and Matanzas’ Jeffrey Powell won the boys triple jump at 42 feet, 2 inches.

to start shifting and cutting on a soccer field. She won’t be able to play in her freshman season, but she hopes to be back by spring training in 2025. All of her rehab and checkups with her surgeon will be in-house with her college, she said.

Steiner knows what it’s like to recover from a torn ACL. She had surgery on her right knee two years ago and didn’t feel like she was all the way back until this year. Steiner had seven goals and seven assists for FPC this season.

She said she chose Warner University in Lake Wales, partly because they offered her the most scholarship money and because it is close to home.

“I’m super family-oriented. It’s also a Christian school and that’s important to me,” Steiner said.

Jennings, who transferred from Seabreeze before the school year, said she is looking forward to continuing her soccer and academic career at Coker in Hartsville, South Carolina.

“I’m really excited,” she said. “They have a beautiful campus. The fields are amazing. I love the coach (Michael Donald). I’m ready to go.”

ROBINSON INVITED TO JR. NATIONAL TEAM CAMP

Matanzas freshman Henry Robinson Jr. is one of 10 freshmen and 65 basketball players overall to be invited to participate in the USA Men’s Jr. National Team Minicamp at the NCAA Final Four in Phoenix on April 4-7.

“This is definitely a proud papa moment,” said Henry Robinson Sr., Matanzas’ High’s head boys basketball coach and Henry Jr.’s dad. The 6-6 forward averaged 20.8 points and 9.8 rebounds this season.

Email Brent Woronoff at brent@ observerlocalnews.com

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FPC soccer signees Samantha Jennings, Savannah O’Grady and Kaitlyn Steiner pose in front of the Bulldogs’ banner. Courtesy photo

FPC's Jack Gilvary and Summer Barnes were awarded college scholarships at the Bob Hayes Invitational.

Courtesy photo

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