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Seville sits in long shadows of rich history
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To pass through Seville is to imagine what might have been -- if not for yellow fever, if not for unlikely freezes bearing down on citrus crops, if not for progress elbowing rail-commute toward obscurity. The remnants of promise remain. Passers through can't help but look right at the old school house, sprawled beneath an old live...
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Helmick's helmet of flowers
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DeLand resident Linda Helmick of the Red Hat Society's Sunshine Divas of Orange City wore a flowering headpiece to the Top That Red Hat Luncheon at Indigo Lakes Country Club in Daytona Beach on Thursday, Feb. 7. The event was a fundraiser for the Domestic Abuse Council of Volusia County....
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DeLand grant negates home sale profit
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DELAND -- Local businessman Mark Shuttleworth paid the city $25,000 for a house and got $20,000 back for repairing it. "We did not put in (the sale contract) or stipulate that he could not apply for any other grants the city might have available," Leigh Matusick, commissioner and Community Redevelopment ...
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Bowling for dollars
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Ben Ernst of Deltona bowls a strike during the first Wacky Triathlon at Deltona Lanes coordinated by West Volusia Regional Chamber of Commerce members Dori and Mary Ann Sigurdson, on Saturday, Feb. 9....
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DeLand leaders planning makeover for park
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DELAND -- Earl Brown Park is getting a makeover. The City Commission will conduct a workshop at the Wayne G. Sanborn Activity Center, 751 S. Alabama Ave., to discuss designs for the upcoming $2.9 million project. That'll start at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11. "We take our grandson (to Earl Brown) all the time ...
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Battling bullying
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Deltona Mayor John Masiarczyk and Nick Pizza, director/event planner of Deltona Against Bullying, lead the teams in the coin toss at the Battle of the Boulevard Bowl on Saturday, Feb. 9. Alumni from Deltona and Pine Ridge high schools competed and funds were raised for the Deltona Against Bullying program....
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Deltona seeks new city manager
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The Deltona City Commission will not act hastily when it comes to finding a new city manager. The commission voted unanimously to accept City Manager Faith Miller's resignation at its meeting on Feb. 4. Also by unanimous vote, the city's leaders asked Deputy City Manager Dave Denny to serve as interim manager. He accepted. But wha...
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Spruce Creek student helps WARM program help others
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Katie Miley is a senior at Spruce Creek high school in Port Orange but she isn't your average student. She is in the International Baccalaureate program, president of the Chess Club, secretary of the Psychology Club and a member of the National Honors Society. But Katie also is a Girl Scout, which has taught ...
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Photo journey
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Wally and Sharon Doolittle of New Smyrna Beach visited the Black Heritage Museum during the 22nd annual Black Heritage Festival in New Smyrna Beach, Saturday, Feb. 9. The event featured live music, food, arts and crafts, cane grinding, syrup and soap making and storytelling....
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New Smyrna Marina project underway on North Causeway
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NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Marketing of The Village at New Smyrna Marina has begun as the developer nears breaking ground on the first homes at the project on North Causeway. Construction of the model house should begin within the next few weeks, according to Bill Roe, president of Ocean Properties, who is in ch...
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Orchid family growing strong after 74 years
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If you want to baffle Paula Hausermann, just ask her how many plants fill the 17,000-square-foot Power Plant greenhouse at E.F.G. Orchids in DeLand. "A hundred thousand? Tens of thousands?" she said. Looking across a vast sea of green leaves and colorful blooms, it seemed impossible to say for sure. As the rapidly growing retail s...
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Flagler Avenue parking keeps bedeviling city leaders
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NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Parking problems along Flagler Avenue led the Planning and Zoning Board's concerns at its Feb. 4 meeting. "The issue of parking availability in the area of Flagler Avenue has been an issue for some time. As Flagler Avenue becomes more vibrant and economically successful, the issue of p...
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Chilly games
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Sierra Mason, 11, of Edgewater, prepares to knock down a snowman during the Snow Festival at the First United Methodist Church in New Smyrna Beach on Saturday, Feb. 9. The event had a 40-foot snow slide, a snow play area and games for the entire family....
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'Shark Tank' star encourages entrepreneurs to go for it
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Investor, entrepreneur, author, television personality and motivational speaker Daymond John rallied the business troops at the Daytona Beach Chamber of Commerce's 93rd Annual Meeting on Monday. Mr. John is the founder and CEO of FUBU clothing line and a star of the ABC reality show "Shark Tank." His estimate...
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Legends abound
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Daytona Beach Police Chief Michael Chitwood gets frisked by Harlem Legend Michael Douglas during the Harlem Legends versus the Volusia Legends basketball fundraiser at the Vince Carter Athletic Center at Mainland High School, Saturday, Feb. 9. Money was raised to benefit the Ormond Beach Middle School Chorus and was...
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Ormond Beach Commissioners deny smaller lots for subdivision
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The Ormond Beach City Commissioners denied smaller lots in the Marshside Village subdivision, voting 4-1 against reducing them from 80 feet wide to 60 feet wide. Mayor Ed Kelley was the sole "yes" vote. This action reversed their previous vote that gave approval to White Falcon Development building the subdivi...
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Divine red diva
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June Ferreri of Port Orange struts her stuff as Lt. Billy Walden of the Daytona Beach Police Department escorts her in front of a panel of guest judges for the 'Best Red Hat' contest during the Top That Red Hat Luncheon at Indigo Lakes Country Club in Daytona Beach, Thursday, Feb. 7. Ms. Ferreri is a member of the D...
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Free reads
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Hailey Wool, 8, left, hands Grace Peacock, 7, a book as Tyler Boyce, 7, reads during the annual Book Exchange Extravaganza program at South Daytona Elementary School Thursday, Feb. 7. The school's media specialist, Carol Sperber, created the program to give students free books. Parents, students, faculty and membe...
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Incoming city manager maps out plans for the future
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PORT ORANGE -- Greg Kisela doesn't start his job as city manager until next month, but he's already laying down his blueprints for the city's future. "This time next year I see us having the operational issues in finance and utilities behind us," Mr. Kisela said. "We will have our hands around restoring fait...
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Basketball fundraiser
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University High School Assistant Principal Steafon Jenkins of the Volusia Legends goes up for a lay-up against the Harlem Legends during a basketball fundraiser at the Vince Carter Athletic Center at Mainland High School, Saturday, Feb. 9. Money was raised to benefit the Ormond Beach Middle School Chorus and was in ...
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Glimpse into history
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Actress Linda Gray Kelley performs an educational and entertaining glimpse into the life of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first American woman doctor, at the Port Orange Regional Library, Feb 7. Dr. Blackwell graduated from Geneva Medical College in 1849 and then became a social activist for women and children and la...
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City will discuss future of impact fee reductions
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PORT ORANGE -- For local homebuilders who enjoyed relief from impact fees for new construction in the past year, the vacation may soon be over. To stimulate development, city leaders last year approved a reduction of impact fees that provide funding for the fire department and recreational facilities, provid...
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Big hearts run
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Runners set off during the first annual Mended Little Hearts 5k/Walk at Port Orange City Center, Saturday, Feb. 9. Mended Little Hearts is a no-profit program, which helps to provide families and caregivers of children with heart defects and heart disease answers, education, resources, and access to local based peer...
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Council scrutinizing redevelopment areas
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The Volusia County Council is taking a magnifying glass to Community Redevelopment Areas, looking to tighten the rules for them. The council conducted a workshop Thursday, Jan. 31, to discuss CRAs, special taxing zones that keep some county tax dollars in cities to spur property and economic development,...
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Serving the community
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Larry Babbits, director of the Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation in Philadelphia, was at the Disabled American Veterans Chapter in Holly Hill to announce awards to several local members for lifetime community service. Michelle Zimbler, the local DAV commander, presented the awards, including a Legionnaire of the Chapel to J...
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Sheriff's Office Employees of the Year honored
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Each year four Volusia County Sheriff's Office employees and one volunteer are carefully chosen out of more than 1,000 people for their exceptional work performance. The five demonstrated superior work ethic and achievement, not only during the past year, but also throughout their careers. Sheriff Ben Johnson honored these top...
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County looking for ways to increase tourism
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Volusia County leaders are looking for ways to increase the $3 to $4.2 billion tourism brings into the county every year. The County Council hosted a meeting Jan. 28 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach to introduce the Tourism Marketing Study Preliminary report. The report was put together by the Strategic A...
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Birthday treats
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Elizabeth "Betty" Kenter, left, celebrated her 101st birthday, and Mary Butzberger celebrated her 107th birthday, surrounded by residents and friends at Signature Health Care of Ormond on Sunday, Feb. 10. Proving you can't trust anyone over 100, when Ms. Butzberger was asked for her secret to longevity her son answered for h...
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Heavy medal
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World War II Veteran Eric Lee, right, of Port Orange receives his Legion of Honor Medal from French Navy Capt. Philippe Petitdidier during an award ceremony held at the International Motorsports Center in Daytona Beach Tuesday, Jan. 29. Mr. Lee was one of 23 veterans recognized for their service by France....
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The Daytona State College W.I.S.E. Program
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Recently I was invited by Maggie Thompson to talk about fishing at the Daytona State College Wisdom In Senior Education program. That group consists of people over 50 who pay a small annual fee to take part in non-credited classes and presentations on the Florida lifestyle and folklore. The W.I.S.E. Program is ably heade...
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Blog Talk Radio host is featured speaker at conference
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DAYTONA BEACH -- The Minority AIDS Network of Volusia/Flagler is hosting the "I Am My Brother/Sister's Keeper" Conference from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30. The conference will take place at Bethune-Cookman University's L. Gale Lemerand School of Nursing, 739 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach. The keynote s...
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Honored
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World War II Veteran Clement Mackey, left, of Edgewater receives his Legion of Honor Medal from French Navy Capt. Philippe Petitdidier during a ceremony at the International Motorsports Center in Daytona Beach Tuesday, Jan. 29. Mr. Mackey was one of 23 veterans who were recognized for their service by France. Kennet...
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Move it and lose it!
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Halifax Health and Radio Disney AM 990 Orlando teamed up to kick off the Move It! program in Volusia County Schools. Move It! was designed as a collaborative effort to encourage healthy and active lifestyles for youth in transition. About 60 fourth graders at Blue Lake Elementary School in DeLand were the first to ...
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