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An election primer: how to vote - and run -for local political office
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VOLUSIA COUNTY - Supervisor of Elections Ann McFall has a tip for people eyeing political runs this year: no one has ever won on the procrastinators' vote. She's got another tip for voters: take your state-issued identification to the polls along with your voter-registration card. And one other thing from the ...
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City seeking help to save kids' athletic programs
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DAYTONA BEACH - Programs in the Leisure Services department that came under the budget axe recently may get a reprieve from parents and private companies who agree to take over. The Daytona Beach City Commission recently adjusted the 2011-2012 budget downward by a bit more than $5 million, and many of t...
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Plane into Publix not the first crash in DeLand
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DeLand - A twin-engine plane took off from the DeLand Municipal Airport, crashed into a building within minutes, and was engulfed by flames. And it happened 25 years ago. The recent crash of a Seawind 3000 into the Publix at the Northgate Plaza, 299 E. International Speedway Blvd., has some eerie similarit...
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Can you hear the whistle blowing?
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Hopes remain high that a passenger train from Jacksonville to Miami will stop in Daytona Beach by 2014. "That's an optimistic goal," said Jim Cameron, senior vice president of government relations for the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce. Optimistic and much needed. "With the price of gas hitting ...
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Wildlife expedition lands in Blue Spring State Park
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ORANGE CITY - Water was an appropriate topic of conversation at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City last week. But it wasn't the only thing discussed when members of the media and the public gathered to hear The Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition explorers speak about their journey toward furthering conservat...
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Make 'em laugh
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Lindsey Boger, 8, of Deltona shows just how fun being a clown can be during the Clown-Tastic Clown Camp at the Hopkins Hall in Lake Helen recently. The camp was sponsored by the Volusia County Public Library. www.volusialibrary.org...
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More movies being made in Volusia
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DELAND - The Book of Hebrews reads, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Increasingly, faith is also the substance of hit movies. Volusia County was the recent beneficiary of the growing industry of Christian movies. Film crews worked around Volusia from March 5 t...
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Manager remembered as a dad, 'gentleman'
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DELAND - As DeLand Police continue to investigate his killing, a restaurant manager shot and killed in the eatery after it closed Saturday is being remembered as a gentleman who was well thought of in the community. Tom Walsh, a 43-year-old native of Ireland, was found slain in "a public area" within Mainstreet Gr...
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Pierson has new wells, now needs the water system to run them
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PIERSON - With visions of the 1998 Central Florida firestorm in mind, town officials have drilled two 14-inch water wells that reach 500 feet. For now, the $100,000 wells are capped and waiting for phase two - a new water system. Pierson Town Council member Robert Greenlund, who's also head of the water ...
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Most open fires could be extinguished in Orange City
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ORANGE CITY - When Fire Chief Chris Johnson took over the reins early last year, the area was in the midst of a dry, volatile brushfire season. He decided to pore over the city's open-burning ordinance to see if anything could be done to lessen the risk of wildfires and lingering smoke. He researched other cities like Oviedo, Por...
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Daddy's still got it at father/daughter dance
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DEBARY - Last Friday, Reginald Grant got a text at work from his ex. Did he want to take their 7-year-old daughter Scanieja to the father/daughter dance at Little Town Hall? He didn't have to think twice. "To me, she'll never get old," he said, as a disco ball rolled dots of light across his daughter's upturned face. "But she wil...
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Scrub jay protections, development efforts aligning goals
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DELTONA - Nearly two decades have passed since geologist Steve Kintner and Volusia County's land management supervisor Randy Sleister laid the groundwork for a scrub jay resurgence at the 360-acre Lyonia Preserve, right in the heart of the county's largest city. Though much of the city is perfect scrub jay habitat - sandy soil, s...
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Arts Alive livens up NSB High School stage
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NEW SMYRNA BEACH - The inaugural New Smyrna Beach High School "Arts Alive Musical Showcase" last week featured several unique acts and talented performers. A raucous crowd cheered, clapped along and sang with the performers most of the evening. Many of the young artist featured original songs and routines. Th...
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City of Edgewater awards first scholarship
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EDGEWATER - A New Smyrna Beach High School senior is the recipient of the city of Edgewater's first college scholarship. A new committee chaired by Edgewater Councilman Justin Kennedy awarded the $2,500 scholarship to Diquan Llewellyn Simon. The youth will receive half of the award each of the next two years while...
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Local girl's book goes to national competition
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PORT ORANGE - Before entering a diversity-themed art competition, 7-year-old Caitlin Dwight did not know what the word "diversity" meant. But the second grader at Sugar Mill Elementary School learned it well enough to win the contest - not only at her school, but also at the county and state levels. Caitlin'...
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Time capsule to be buried as part of anniversary celebration
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NEW SMYRNA BEACH - In 75 years, will there still be telephones - and more important, will anyone recognize a telephone directory? Those still around in 2087 will find out when a time capsule being buried this summer is opened. The burial June 8 will be part of t...
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Former Shores councilman runs again
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DAYTONA BEACH SHORES - A former mayor and councilman with 25 years of experience in city politics is running again. Don Large recently filed to run for City Council Seat 2, one of two contested seats in this year's city elections. Jennie Celona, who currently holds the seat, was elected to serve out the remai...
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Flyin' high
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Ava Kloepfer, left, 3, of Ormond Beach and Olivia Chase, 4, of Port Orange take a flight during the annual Family Days Spring Fair held at the Port Orange City Center last Friday. www.FamilyDays.com...
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Candidate: Sheriff's office should have more deputies on the streets, not behind desks
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VOLUSIA COUNTY - He grew up on the streets of New York City where he could have just as easily entered the gang life. Instead, he became a lawman. Now, Wendell Bradford aims to unseat incumbent Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson. He said the current sheriff has ...
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They blinded us with metrics
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While the American public has never really embraced the metric system, it has become a very useful tool in the corporate world. Converting everyday products from standard imperial measure to metric allows companies to conceal their downsizing and conceal it right in plain sight. Any time a product is switched from a gall...
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Publix donates nearly $700,000 to United Way
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DAYTONA BEACH - A group of Publix Supermarket's District and Store Managers, United Way Partner Agency Directors, United Way Board Members, volunteers and staff recently celebrated the delivery of this year's Publix donation to the United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties' Annual Fundraising Campaign. The reason for the celebrat...
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Anglers teach fly fishing to veterans seeking solitude
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DELEON SPRINGS - Joe Rahl doesn't want to get into the traumatic experiences he witnessed while serving on shore duty in the U.S. Navy during the 1983 Beirut barracks attack. During a recent balmy morning visit to DeLeon Springs State Park, he just wanted to fly fish. Mr. Rahl was among more than a dozen disabled veterans who spe...
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Plane crashes through roof of North Deland Publix
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DELAND - Tiffany Vang was just starting the nails on her final customer's second hand at 7:20 p.m. Monday, when a deafening boom rattled the mirrors and shook the floor inside the T & T Nails shop she manages in the Northgate Shopping Center. She and her customers ran outside and stood in horror as frenzied customers poured from ...
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Charter school contract denied; school may appeal
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DELAND - For about 300 students, the 2012-2013 school year is up in the air. Whether students at Boston Avenue Charter School return to its classes next school year may be, in part, decided in court. At a recent meeting, the Volusia County School Board approved a superintendent's recommendation to not re...
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Got one!
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Catherine Lichtenwald, 4, Deltona, finds an Easter egg at the First United Methodist Church of DeLand community Easter egg hunt Saturday. Festivities included Gospel instruction, a reenactment of the Lord's Supper, art projects, bounce houses, and, of course, Easter eggs. Dozens of youngsters from all over Volusia and ...
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Stetson to hold energy symposium
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The fourth annual Green Symposium, The Green Edge: Innovation and Sustainability, will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, April 13, at Stetson University's Lynn Business Center. Sessions will focus on new opportunities in sustainability, energy use and conservation, and natural resource management. The event will offer cont...
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Elected leaders mingle with West Volusia Chamber set
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DEBARY - Mayor Bob Garcia beamed with pride last week as local, county and state elected officials gathered with West Volusia business leaders in his city, at the DeBary Golf and Country Club, to jaw over chicken marsala about their greatest strengths and needs. "It's hard to get issues heard when all your elected officials are i...
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Board recommends reinstating fired public works director
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PORT ORANGE - Although public works director Warren Pike lost his job in February, a three-member advisory board believes he deserves to be reinstated. On Tuesday, the Civil Service Board finalized a written recommendation to City Manager Ken Parker that suggests Mr. Pike be reinstated, under the condition he ...
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Get those running shoes ready
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The City of Daytona Beach's 45th annual Easter Beach Run is set for Saturday, April 7. All related event activities will take place in Breakers Ocean Front Park and at the pier, both located on the east end of Main Street. The park address is 13 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach. Parking is available in near-by lots. The four-mi...
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Food Stamp Application Assistance Available
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Struggling to provide for yourself or your family? Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, a member of Feeding America, is providing application assistance for food stamps, including re-certifications, starting April 1. The help is available on a first come, first served basis at locations in Volusia County. For more information, call Deneida...
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