OBO 05 07 20

ORMOND BEACH

Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

FREE • THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020

VOLUME 8, NO. 36

$10 million for businesses Volusia to set aside part of its CARES Act funding to help small businesses during COVID-19 PAGE 3

Volusia’s financial fragility

Don Pepper’s is open

United Way’s ALICE report reveals record high of incomeconstrained families in Volusia and Flagler. PAGE 5

Ormond Beach restaurant sets up outdoor seating to stay afloat during COVID-19 PAGE 3

INSIDE CITY WATCH

Beach bathrooms are closed in the county.

Council asks why.

PAGE 2

FIRST PHASE

Retail and restaurants operating at 25% capacity.

PAGE 4

BEACH DAY

Volusia reopens beaches to all activities except beach driving.

PAGE 4

Owning a restaurant was Hugo Lopez’s dream. He started as a dishwasher in 1994.

Photo by Jarleene Almenas

HOSPITAL

AdventHealth to test patients, staff; inpatients get one visitor PAGE 8

EDGEWELL

Sunscreen manufacturer says protecting workforce during COVID-19 is most important

INDEX

Briefs......................PAGE 7 Business................ PAGE 3 Cops Corner.......... PAGE 8 Real Estate.......... PAGE 10 Your Town............. PAGE 11

INSIDE

RETURN OF CHILD CARE? Most facilities have closed.

What’s the long term impact?

Support local

PAGE 9 La Petite Academy teacher Megan Harshman, with student Kaylin Kelsey.

Ormond MainStreet’s executive director, Julia Truilo, outlines reopening impacts.

Courtesy photos

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ORMOND BEACH OBSERVER

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JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

BY THE NUMBERS

99

permits issued within the city last week, valued at $2.04 million

2

projects under review by the Site Plan Review Committee. The first is an expansion of 228 N. Orchard St. and the second consists of minor improvements to the Calvary Christian Church kids center at 1687 W. Granada Blvd.

22

projects under construction in the city of Ormond.

These include the Publix remodel, Salty Church’s expansion and The Pumphouse restaurant.

OrmondBeachObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020

County beach restrooms remain closed

Nova Community Park reopened

Ormond Beach opened bathrooms at Andy Romano Beachfront Park when it reopened on Saturday, May 2.

Supermarkets and gas station bathrooms are open.

So why are bathrooms closed at county-run beach parks?

That’s a question several County Council members asked at the meeting May 5.

County Manager George Recktenwald said it’s because they were confined spaces and that the county had to hire porters to make sure the restrooms were cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis.

“They’re definitely an area of concern,” Recktenwald said.

“We’re working on what we could do and what we could support to sanitize them.”

County Councilwoman Heather Post said that the county will need to address the issue soon. This coming Sunday, May 10, is Mother’s Day — it’s likely many families will be out on the beach with their children.

“If Ormond can do it, we can do it,” Post said.

County Council Chair Ed Kelley said he’d like to see the restrooms open this week. Recktenwald said that

The city of Ormond Beach has reopened Nova Community Park and all basketball courts, effective Monday, May 4.

The outdoor tennis and pickleball courts are also open for single play only. However, the large pavilion at Nova Community Park is still closed, as well as all playgrounds and the fitness equipment at Fortunato Park.

The skate park is currently only open 4-9 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday.

All city facilities are closed to city-sponsored athletics and public or private events and activities until May 8.

File photo by Jarleene Almenas

A closure sign at the Granada Beach approach in April.

what he would suggest in the meantime is for people to consider the length of time spent at the beach. While they are open, people should still limit travel because COVID-19 is still active in the community.

County Councilwoman Billie Wheeler said opening up bathrooms by Mother’s Day would be great.

“Let’s make it a good Mother’s Day if we can and do

whatever we can to get those open,” she said.

Beaches were busy over the weekend, said Beach Safety Director Ray Manchester.

A total of 944 warnings for physical distancing violations were issued, 98 people were rescued from the ocean and the three ADA access ramps saw a total of 463 vehicles on May 2-3.

Concessions are also allowed back on the beach.

125

calls for service last week for the Fire Department.

Email Jarleene Almenas at jarleene@ ormondbeachobserver. com.

“Send them a post card. Old-fashioned ways of communication are not gone.”

JULIA TRUILO, ormond mainstreet executive director on how business owners can communicate with loyal customers. See Page 6

City second in Volusia for census Ormond Beach is currently the second county with the most census count responses at 64.4%, trailing behind DeBary’s 68.6% total responses, according to a tweet by the city.

Of Ormond’s percentage, 49.9% of the census count comes from internet responses. Visit 2020census.gov

Bid award for park project At its May 12 meeting, the City Commission will vote to award a bid to Sanderson Concrete Construction for the upcoming Riviera Park parking improvement project.

It will be funded through a Community Development Block grant.

Thank You Teachers

Today. Tomorrow. Always.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication in shaping the young minds of Ormond Beach. We appreciate you!

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CITY WATC H

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ORMOND BEACH OBSERVER

OrmondBeachObserver.com

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THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020

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County: $10 million for small businesses The money will come from the $96.5 million in CARES Act funding the county received.

JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Don Pepper’s owner Hugo Lopez and his crew.

Dining out JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

D

on Pepper’s Mexican Grill and Cantina has over 60 tables and a total indoor occupancy of 282. Like many Mexican restaurants across the U.S., Cinco de Mayo is typically one of its busiest days.

This year was a little different.

Don Pepper’s owner Hugo Lopez has put caution tape on tables and the bar to make sure they abide by the governor’s 25% indoor capacity limit (which includes all restaurant staff), per Gov. Ron Desantis’ executive order that allowed restaurants to reopen dining rooms on May 4.

The order also allowed restaurants to have outdoor seating, with tables spaced 6 feet apart.

But Don Pepper’s, located at 794 S. Atlantic Ave., didn’t have outdoor seating before the COVID-19 pandemic. Lopez worked quickly to change that.

“Right now I know a lot of people are going to want to sit outside,” he said. “Plus, that outside seating is going to take care of the tables we have closed here.”

The governor announced restaurants would be part of the first phase of the state’s reopening on

Hugo Lopez

Photo by Jarleene Almenas

Ormond Beach restaurant sets up outdoor seating to stay afloat during COVID-19

Wednesday, April 29.

By the next day, the city of Ormond Beach established a review process to verify that restaurants’ outdoor seating was not unsafely blocking fire hydrants or placing tables in main parking lot travel lanes. The city also verified that handicapped access was retained.

“We just want to try to separate where people are sitting and where individuals are coming into a restaurant to park,” Ormond Beach Planning Director Steven Spraker said.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, a restaurant typically incorporated outdoor seating while in the development or redevelopment process, and the city evaluated it to make sure it passed the required ratio for seats to parking, Spraker said. So far, the city has received two formal applications for evaluation of new outdoor seating (including Don Pepper’s), and the city has verified two other restaurants with existing outdoor tables.

Lopez sent the city an email on Thursday, April 30, that included a sketch of where he planned to place tables. He eventually got an OK from the city and moved forward. Currently, he only has a handful of tables outside, but is working on getting more tents to increase his outdoor seating capacity.

It’s been a trying almost 50-day period for local restaurants. In Lopez’s case, his establishment went from being very busy during Bike Week to almost no business in less than a week. DeSantis issued the executive order to close restaurant dining rooms on March 20, and, needing time to figure out what to do next, Don Pepper’s closed that day. They reopened on Saturday, March 21, but Lopez said it was “dead.”

That first week of transitioning into only delivery and takeout was bringing in $150-$200 a day.

That wasn’t enough to pay his staff, Lopez said.

They had a meeting,

A look inside Don Pepper’s bar area.

and Lopez broke the news to his staff. But, it didn’t go the way he expected.

“They said, ‘Well, we want to work. It doesn’t matter if you pay us or not, as long as we can eat here, as long as we have something to do here, or take food for our family, we want to work,’” Lopez recalled.

So they pushed through. Lopez has since applied for the Small Business Administration loan and the Paycheck Protection Program, the latter of which Lopez said it looks like they are on track to receive. He will use the funds to pay his crew who have stuck by him.

He also wanted to thank those in the community who supported them. While their dining room closed, several customers would order drinks to-go and leave a nice tip. That helped to keep them going, Lopez said.

After all, he’s been in his staff’s shoes before. Lopez got his start in the restaurant industry as a dishwasher in a North Carolina restaurant in 1994. He worked his way up to the kitchen, and later became a server. That’s how Lopez, originally from Jalisco, Mexico, learned to speak English.

Don Pepper’s is the product of hard work.

“That was my dream — to own a restaurant,” Lopez said.

WE WANT TO WORK When Don Pepper’s Mexican Grill and Cantina owner Hugo Lopez told his staff he’d have to close due to lack of customers, he recalled them saying, “We want to work. It doesn’t matter if you pay us or not, as long as we can eat here, as long as we have something to do here, or take food for our family, we want to work.”

They remained open.

Now, the restaurant is one of the first to add outdoor seating in Ormond Beach.

Volusia County is allocating $10 million of its CARES Act funding to help small businesses with costs associated with reopening modifications due to COVID-19.

Only businesses with 25 employees or fewer will be eligible for the Relaunch Volusia Small Business Re-Opening Grant, and they must demonstrate an impact from COVID-19, have been in operation since December 2019, and must not be in foreclosure or bankruptcy at this time. Additionally, businesses cannot be home-based or have been deemed essential by the state. Businesses that haven’t received funding from other sources will be prioritized, based on the criteria County Economic Development Director Helga van Eckert outlined during the County Council meeting on Tuesday, May 5.

“Simplicity really is the key here,” van Eckert said. “We need to make it as simple for the businesses to apply, and as simple for our staff to review, and as simple for the administration to process the review and get the monies out to the community because time is of the essence.”

County staff created an Economic Recovery Task Force to develop the grant, and consulted with city economic development practitioners, chambers of commerce, Team Volusia and the CEO Business Alliance. The conversation revolved around how to address the greatest need in the community that would also provide for the highest return of dollars, van Eckert explained.

With over 12,000 small businesses in the county, Volusia won’t be able to provide funding for all of them, but eligible businesses will be able to request up to $3,000 to reimburse money spent on things like UV sanitizing cabinets, infrared thermometers, hand sanitizing stations and installation of Plexiglass shields.

It’s meant to help businesses embrace the “new normal” in creative ways that don’t come across as “draconian,” van Eckert said.

County Councilwoman Billie Wheeler pointed out that the grant won’t help where small businesses are hurting the most — lost wages and revenues.

“One of the small businesses was saying there was no way they could spend $2,000 on signage,” she said.

In response, County Manager George Recktenwald said that if funds remain available later on, they could consider opening the grant up for more COVID-19-related damages.

The application will be available at volusiabusinessresources.com. A resolution will come before the council at its meeting on Tuesday, May 12.

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ORMOND BEACH OBSERVER

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OrmondBeachObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020

Retail, restaurants partially reopened Volusia County reopens beaches

DeSantis introduces first of three reopening phases.

The first phase to reopen Florida centered around retail, restaurants and elective surgeries, a decision the state made due to Florida’s COVID-19 data being significantly lower than projections predicted, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday, April 29.

The governor stated that in this first of three phases of the “Safe.

Smart. Step-by-Step.” plan for Florida’s recovery, retail stores will be allowed to operate at 25% indoor capacity; restaurants will be allowed to offer outdoor seating spaced at 6-foot intervals and have indoor seating at 25% capacity; and elective surgeries will resume in hospitals. These changes went into effect in every county besides Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties on Monday, May 4.

At this time, distance learning will remain in place in schools, visits to senior living facilities are still prohibited, and bars, gyms and personal services remain closed.

DeSantis also said the vulnerable population should continue to avoid close contact with people outside their household, and that everyone should maximize physical distance from others when in public. Socializing should be limited to no more than 10 people where physical distancing is not easily accomplishable, and face masks are recommended for

people interacting face-to-face.

“We’re going to be safe, smart and we’re going to do this stepby-step,” DeSantis said. “We are trying to build a foundation for the future of the state of Florida.

We did not ask to be put in this situation.”

DeSantis began the press conference by painting a bleak picture of the effects of COVID-19 on the state’s population. He said people have experienced economic and social turmoil, businesses have been devastated, and family members have been unable to say goodbye to those dying in hospitals. He said children’s activities and plays have “gone up in smoke;” and graduations and proms have been canceled.

The governor stated that “fear is our enemy,” and outlined the principles the state is using to guide its phased reopening, including public health and safety, health care system readiness, public confidence and protection of civil liberties.

As part of the plan for the state’s recovery, DeSantis said the state will prevent COVID-19 introduction into the community from outside Florida, support hospital capacity and health care workers, promote social distancing and increase testing — including the acquisition of a mobile lab that will travel the state with the ability to test 3,500 people per week. Results will take 45 minutes and the state hopes to implement the lab next week in high-risk areas such as nursing homes.

People will be allowed to sit and sunbathe. However, beach driving is still prohibited for now.

JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Courtesy photo

Facts should be comforting, said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as he announced the first phase of the state’s plan to reopen.

The governor also contrasted news headlines reporting COVID-19 projections that “promoted a worst-case scenario” where Florida was predicted to have an outbreak similar to the ones in New York and Italy with data showing COVID-19’s impact was much less.

“Facts should be comforting,” DeSantis said. “We’ve done much better than everybody said we would do and we’re going to continue to apply a fact-based datadriven approach to the problems that are before us.”

The state will monitor the pandemic’s impact moving forward based on hospital bed capacity and resources, as well as the rate of positive cases per people tested. With more testing in the works, people shouldn’t be alarmed if new cases are reported, DeSantis said, especially if the positivity rate remains within the current 5%-6%.

Take your classes

HERE

All Volusia beaches reopened to all activities except beach driving on Saturday, May 2, as part of the county’s phased Relaunch Volusia plan.

County Council Chair Ed Kelley made the announcement during a press conference on Thursday, April 30, where he said the essential exercises requirement will be lifted, thus allowing people to sunbathe and sit on the beach. Only the beach ramps at Third Avenue, Williams Avenue and Dunlawton Boulevard remain open to beach drving for ADA access only. The county is also going to be enforcing stricter social distancing guidelines — groups should be composed of six people or fewer and space themselves 10 feet apart from other groups. Kelley asked the community to abide by these guidelines as the county looks to further reopening measures, and if possible, avoid flocking to the beach this Saturday all at once.

“It’s for your safety,” Kelley said. “It’s for the safety of others, and it’s so we can be allowed to keep the beaches open.”

The county is also reopening off-beach parking lots with limited spaces. The following will open on May 2:

 Michael Crotty Bicentennial Park  Argosy Beach Park  Cardinal Drive Beach Park  Frank Rendon Park  Hiles Boulevard Beach Park  Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park  Al Weeks Sr. North Shore Park  Tom Renick Park  Sun Splash Park  Toronita Avenue Beach Park  University Boulevard Beach Park  Winterhaven Park  Wisteria Road Parking Lot  Dahlia Avenue Park  Lighthouse Point Park  Smyrna Dunes Park Restroom, splash pads and showers will remain closed at this time.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said residents should take care to not “overrun” certain areas of the beach and that they spread out. As the county reopens, Chitwood said it was time for “baby steps” to get back to where we were to avoid seeing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

County Manager George Recktenwald called for people’s cooperation with social distancing.

On Sunday, April 26, the county issued 1,200 warnings to people trying to circumvent the rules.

The county doesn’t want to see that again, he said.

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JARLEENE ALMENAS

ORMOND BEACH OBSERVER

OrmondBeachObserver.com

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THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020

Q+ A WITH COURTNEY EDGCOMB, PRESIDENT OF UNITED WAY

ALICE report reveals record high of income-constrained families JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused 30 million Americans to file for unemployment, creating the perfect climate to expose the hardships faced by those who live paycheck-to-paycheck, said Courtney Edgcomb president of United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties.

On Monday, May 4, United Way released its ALICE Report (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), which found that when the pandemic impacted Volusia and Flagler County, over 119,000 households were one emergency away from financial ruin, according to a press release.

The report, released every two years, revealed a 10-year record high of these ALICE families.

Calls to United Way’s 211 First Call for Help hotline increased by 200% since the middle of March, finding families in need who never needed services in the past, Edgcomb said.

In this Q+A, Edgcomb explains why the ALICE report matters: Q: Why is this data analysis so important?

A: Community groups use the ALICE report to better understand the gap between where federal resources will support families if they fall below federal poverty guidelines, and what it actually takes to live sustain-

Courtney Edgecomb

ably in our communities. That gap is right where ALICE sits.

We’re finding out that a third of our populations in both Volusia and Flagler County fall right within that gap, and so we need to be there to support one out of three people.

Q: The data showed 33% of Volusia households are ALICE, and in Flagler, 30%. What are some ways the pandemic could be affecting these families?

A: You know how a lot of companies were saying if you feel sick, if you’re running a fever, you’re not supposed to come into the office?

Well, if those companies are not offering paid sick leave, then those are hours that people are not able to work and they’re not going to get paid for. It automatically creates a gap in their budget every month.

Additionally, you have to think that there’s got to be families with an increased energy cost in their home. If you’re not going into the office, but you’re working from home, your electric bill will prob-

ably increase.

The child care, I think, is probably one of the biggest pieces because when you’re thinking about a family that might utilize Early Learning Coalition’s resources for subsidized child care, but a lot of their centers have either been shut down or reduced capacity. Are they able to find child care?

Q: The ALICE Essentials Index is a new measurement in this report. What does this tell us?

A: It talks about the mismatch between wages and the cost of basic needs, and what I thought was really interesting is that the cost of housing, child care, food, transportation, health care and a smartphone plan — those things rose at nearly twice the rate of inflation. So all of those pieces, which would be hard to think about how you could do your job or live your life without any of those aspects, the cost of those runs about 3.4% annually over the past decade, versus 1.8% which was the rate of inflation.

People who fall within the ALICE population, their wages have remained stagnant. So they haven’t been able to make up any of that gap. Their expenses have just increased.

Q: What is the household cost that puts the most strain on ALICE families?

A: Housing, for sure. Our ALICE

household survival budget for a family of four in Volusia County is $955 a month, so you’re thinking that’s maybe a two-bedroom or a three-bedroom house or apartment — no.

It’s so hard to find affordable and attainable housing for families because the problem doesn’t just start with what the rent is per month. If you have to have a first, last and security [deposit], but you’re not making enough to save.

I don’t know how you’ll be able to come up with $3,000 just to get into a house, or into an apartment before you can even start paying your monthly rent.

AT A GLANCE

Q: How should the findings in the report be used to help these families?

A: The first thing is to give.

There are lots of organizations that are supporting ALICE families. They’re providing subsidized child care, rent assistance if someone were to fall in hard times; they’re providing health programs for those kids, mentoring opportunities for some of those families, financial education classes. That’s how we do our grant funding every two years, is based on how these programs are helping ALICE families.

Second thing is to advocate.

We’ve been doing a lot of work with state and federal legislation.

And the last thing is to volunteer.

n Median household income is $58,963, which is over the state’s average of $55,462. n ALICE households make up 30% of the total households, below the state’s average of 33%.

There are about 12,544 ALICE households. n 10% of households are in poverty, which is under the state’s average of 13%. There are 4,239 households in poverty. n 33% of ALICE households are families with children, another 33% are single and cohabitating and 28% are 65 and over.

IN VOLUSIA COUNTY

n Median household income is $50,361, which is below the state’s average of $55,462. n ALICE households are on par with the state average of 33%.

There are about 72,519 ALICE households. n 12% of households are in poverty, which is under the state’s average of 13%. There are 27,122 of households in poverty. n 37% of ALICE households are 65 and over, 34% are single and cohabitating and 24% are families with children.

IN FLAGLER

ALICE data is based on 2018 point-in-time numbers.

As a community, Ormond Beach has come together to persevere through these challenging times.

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ORMOND BEACH OBSERVER

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OrmondBeachObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020

ORMOND BEACH

Observer

Q+ A WITH JULIA TRUILO

Local sourcing is important

“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.”

Ormond MainStreet’s executive director outlines reopening impacts

FRIEDRICH HAYEK “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

Publisher / John Walsh, jwalsh@palmcoastobserver. com Executive Editor / Brian McMillan, editor@ ormondbeachobserver.com Associate Editor / Jarleene Almenas, jarleene@ ormondbeachobserver.com Page Designers / Hailey McMillan, Jennifer Edwards Advertising Manager / Jaclyn Centofanti, jaclyn@ palmcoastobserver.com Senior Account Manager / Susan Moore, susan@ palmcoastobserver.com Front Desk Associate / Bonnie Hamilton, bonnie@ palmcoastobserver.com Operations Manager / Maureen Walsh, maureen@ palmcoastobserver.com

JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized two things for our community regarding small businesses, said Julia Truilo, executive director of Ormond MainStreet: How much we miss them when they’re closed, and how fragile they are during a crisis.

In the beginning, Truilo said many people may have relied on sites like Amazon to deliver the goods, thinking they will be delivered without delay.

“Suddenly that isn’t the case, and we see that the local sourcing and the local vision is really important,” Truilo said.

Most of Ormond Beach’s small businesses are “mom and pop” businesses, often leveraged on the owner’s personal credit, Truilo said.

That leaves many especially vulnerable their income stream is disrupted.

With the governor allowing restaurants and retail to operate at a 25% indoor capacity, what does that mean for these businesses? The Ormond Beach Observer recently spoke with Truilo, and this is what she had to say about that, the financial health of her nonprofit and the importance of businesses connecting with customers.

Q: Since the start of the pandemic, have you seen Ormond MainStreet’s role in the community shift?

A: Yes, I have. I think that it emphasized something we had always been doing in the background, which suddenly became more visible and more necessary, and that is communicating information to our downtown stakeholders and businesses, and also making sure their information was getting out to consumers — a two-pronged effort that is part of what we do year-round every day, but it really came to

Circulation Manager / David Brooks, david@horizonroad. com Courtesy photo

Julia Truilo is the executive director of Ormond MainStreet.

the forefront as people needed new lines of communications and someone to consolidate all that stuff in one place.

Q: Do you think many local restaurants will reopen, or will some wait until the indoor capacity limit is higher?

A: I think there will be a few that wait, but really remarkably, many of our restaurants have been able to remain functioning.

So, to them it’s a little extra that they will add.

If you have two employees and your capacity is 25, as many of our smaller businesses [have], it’s not very many customers at a time. I think one of the things the businesses are working on, and which we are encouraging them to work on, is keeping all these channels going at once.

[25% of capacity] won’t make bank for you. You’re going to have to continue to do takeout and delivery.

Looking ahead for instance to Mother’s Day, which is coming up [on Sunday May 10], that is the biggest restaurant day of the year — no question. So you have a potential for people to want to be in your restaurant and not be able to service the need. You have a large group of your customers who are either afraid to return or are in a sensitive health issue where they won’t be able to go out for a while still, so you’re going to need to be able to service takeout and delivery at a higher volume on Mother’s Day while you are servicing a higher volume of dining room customers.

Q: Retail also reopened on Monday, May 4, with 25% indoor capacity. How will this impact businesses in the downtown?

A: For a lot of our really small stores, again, they’re going to have capacity issues if you’re occupancy is 15 and you have two employees in the store. You really only can have one or two customers at a time, but they don’t expect to have 300 people show up at any given moment. I think they’re just glad to be able to speak to their customers and be able to help them. Small boutique businesses are a small oneon-one proposition anyway.

You want that personal service, so our small businesses are already poised to do that. I think there’s going to be some issues they’re going to have to work through, but I think being able to have their customers come in, at least some, is going to be great for them.

Q: Some nonprofits have experienced a degree of financial struggle due to canceled events and low donations.

How is MainStreet faring?

A: Well, MainStreet is going to have some financial struggles as well. We count on our volunteers to do a lot of what we do. We lost in Celtic Festival our biggest income generator of the year because we had to cancel our festival, and, quite frankly, we don’t know that we’ll be able to do festivals until next year.

I also think for nonprofits in general, many of our corporate donors will find themselves in

less positive financial territory than they have been, and they may look at their donations and reduce those. Most of our donor base is small donors, and I think that we feel comfortable that they will stick with us, but I think all nonprofits are going to have to work what they do and understand what they do. We’re going to stick with it no matter what happens. We’ve got a lot of work to do and lot of things to get done.

We’ll figure it out.

Q: What advice do you have for local business owners?

A: Talk to your customers. If you’re not an e-commerce kind of guy, pick up the phone and call your customers and say, “Hey, I’ve got something special,” or “I miss you, and we’re going to open next week, and I want you to know that.” Send them a post card. Old-fashioned ways of communication are not gone. I think customers will appreciate that.

If you are absolutely a social media person, and you’re Instagramming all the time, make sure that you are talking to your customer, letting them know what’s up with you. I would also say to look for the opportunity in this crisis. Do you have a chance to put your toe into e-commerce if you’ve never had time to do that before? Do you have an opportunity to learn something you didn’t know? Take a good hard look at your finances and decide whether you need to change some of the ways you go about operating.

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“Old-fashioned ways of communication are not gone. I think customers will appreciate that.”

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ORMOND BEACH OBSERVER

OrmondBeachObserver.com

7

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020

BRIEFS

MADE IN ORMOND BEACH

State parks reopened May 4

Protecting the workforce

Beginning Monday, May 4, approximately 80 Florida State Parks and trails will reopen, including some day-use areas and beach access with limited facilities, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced.

Visitors will be asked to practice social distancing by limiting groups to 10 people or less and staying 6 feet apart from other groups. Reopened beach areas will only allow visitors access to active recreation, including walking, jogging, swimming and fishing, according to the announcement. No sunbathing, sitting in chairs, or the usage of canopies or coolers are allowed. Parks will be open from 8 a.m. to sunset.

Beach areas will vary per park.

Visit floridastateparks.org for more information.

Edgewell Personal Care produces Banana Boat and Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen.

JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Photo courtesy of Google Maps/Picasa

nothing would have been a disaster,” he said.

The most important thing a manufacturer can do is protect its workforce and their families, Lago added. Most of Edgewell’s Ormond Beach workforce is local.

“They’re the most valuable assets that we have,” Lago said.

“You can have millions of dollars of equipment and processes in place, but without people, you cannot run them. That’s the advice I would give to anyone.”

Since March, the Ormond Beach Observer has featured local manufacturers as part of an ongoing series titled “Made in Ormond Beach.” Edgewell is the sixth company to be highlighted, though there are more in the city.

Ormond Beach Economic Development Director Brian Rademacher said in March that he was pleasantly surprised so many manufacturers have been contributing to or represented a factor in the battle against COVID-19.

“When you look at it from a

Andy Romano Beachfront Park will reopen on Saturday, May 2.

Andy Romano Beachfront Park reopen May 2

Courtesy photos

manufacturer’s perspective, to know that these companies are here and that they’re able to provide these services and these jobs during these times, it’s pretty amazing to see that there’s still that opportunity to have them producing and providing benefits to the local economy,” Rademacher said.

A look inside Edgewell Personal Care in Ormond Beach.

Now that Volusia County has relaxed its beach restrictions to allow sunbathing and sitting, effective Saturday, May 2, the city of Ormond Beach opened Andy Romano Beachfront Park with limited parking as well.

The change was effective on Saturday, too, and park restrooms were open. However, the city stated that the splash pad and playground will remain closed.

Andy Romano Beachfront Park is located at 839 S. Atlantic Ave. In accordance with the county’s social distancing guidelines, groups must be limited to six people or less, and should be a minimum of 10 feet away from other groups.

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With the beaches in Volusia county reopening to sunbathing, Edgewell Personal Care is praying production of sunscreen ramps up.

The last couple of months have been difficult for the Ormond Beach manufacturer, said Director of Operations Jose Lago.

Edgewell has facilities worldwide, but the Ormond location specializes in producing Banana Boat and Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen. Lago said based on market reports, sunscreen consumption is down 50% in the U.S. The company is, however, exploring other products to manufacture.

“We have to weather the storm,” Lago said. “Not much you can do.”

But, he said they’re prepared for the times ahead.

Edgewell Personal Care began in 2015 after it split from the Energizer Corp., Lago explained.

The company as a whole produces different personal care products across the globe, and its heritage dates back to 1910 when Col. Jacob Schick invented the first cutthroat razor, according to Edgewell’s website. Then in 1932, The International Laytex Co. was founded, which would later be known as Playtex. In 2007, following various mergers and introduction of product brands, the two companies merged.

In Ormond Beach, Edgewell employs about 150 people, including temporarily workers, in the winter and spring, which Lago said is their busiest time of the year. To keep them safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has directed all employees who have the ability to work remotely to do so from their homes. For those that have to be at the plant, temperatures are checked and they are asked to wear face masks.

While the measures that have been taken to stop the spread of COVID-19 have been “painful,” said Lago, they were also necessary.

“Because the option of doing

|

ORMOND BEACH OBSERVER

COPS CORNER APRIL 23

CLEAN THIEF 12:12 p.m. — 1500 block of West Granada Boulevard Petit theft. A 56-year-old Ormond Beach woman was arrested after she stole body washes, locks, lighters and other items from a local supermarket.

The woman entered the store, grabbed plastic shopping bags from a register and selected body washes from the counter.

She hid them in the bags, and then went to the toy section and grabbed several “random” items there, according to her arrest report. Before exiting the store, she grabbed some lighters and placed them in her purse. She took a total of $121.75 worth of merchandise.

She was taken to jail.

APRIL 27

BABY CARRIAGE 1:40 p.m. — 1500 block of West Granada Boulevard Petit theft. Police arrested a 24-year-old man and a 22-yearold woman who stole baby items from a local supermarket by placing them in a stroller and covering them with a blanket.

According to the

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OrmondBeachObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020

man’s arrest report, while the pair — joined by a third woman whom police didn’t identify — walked into the supermarket, a blanket got caught underneath the stroller’s wheel and revealed there was no actual baby inside.

The man told police that the woman he was with was responsible for taking the items and putting them inside the stroller, and that he walked around the store “making sure he lost her,” before leaving. He did, however, purchase a drink enhancer before he left, the man admitted.

When police asked him who the woman was, he said she was his “rep payee.” The store’s loss prevention officer said he saw the man putting things in the stroller, and that he handed items to the woman to hide under the baby blanket. The pair stole $189.43 worth of merchandise, which the store recovered.

The man was taken to jail.

APRIL 30

SMALL TOWN 10:08 p.m. — Intersection of West Granada Boulevard and Yoon Way Attempting to elude law enforcement. A 27-year-old Ormond Beach man led police to his dad’s house and asked that his vehicle not be towed after police tried to pull him over for speeding. He had been driving 63 mph in a 45 mph zone.

When the man drove into a subdivision, the officer began to place stop sticks at the entrance, but before he could finish, the vehicle resurfaced and drove onto the grass to get around the patrol vehicle. The reporting officer recognized the man and drove to his father’s home.

Police left his vehicle there and took him to jail.

AdventHealth to allow inpatients one visitor Hospital officials said they believe it is a safe time to reopen.

WERE THE MODELS WRONG?

JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

With phase 1 of the governor’s plan to reopen Florida having started on Monday, May 4, AdventHealth announced the measures it will take to keep its staff, patients and visitors safe moving forward.

These include COVID-19 testing for all health care workers and patients in the hospital, as well as ensuring everyone wears a mask at all times, said Daryl Tol, president and CEO of AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division, during a virtual press conference on Thursday, April 30. AdventHealth will also allow inpatients one visitor, and staff will be practicing and encouraging social distancing by the use of wall signs and chair covers, a measure which will extend to doctors’ offices.

Tol said the hospital believes it is a safe time to reopen, and, keeping with the governor’s theme of facts versus fear in his April 29 announcement, Tol said action is the best antidote to fear.

“We weren’t wrong as a society saying this could be really bad,” Tol said. “It has been really bad in some places, but the actions of our leaders and the actions you’ve taken have made it better.”

Other safety measures that AdventHealth will implement include deep cleanings in the hospital and encouraging the use of telehealth services. People with

In response a question regarding Gov. Ron DeSantis’ approach at his news conference where he criticized that COVID-19 projections reported were much higher than what the state actually experienced, Tol said that is how models worked.

The best models, he explained, have a series of projections based on observations of other areas. When you add realtime data to those models, they shift.

“The fact that they shift is because they’re smart, not be-

doctor’s appointments in outpatient facilities may also be able to check in online and wait in their vehicles until their room is available, Tol said.

Dr. Neil Finkler, chief medical officer of acute care services, said AdventHealth has tested over 51,000 people for COVID-19.

The reason for testing all staff and patients is to identify possible asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19, which are occurring in 1%-2% of the population.

As long as that percentage of asymptomatic carriers remains, wearing masks will still be necessary. Additionally, should an asymptomatic patient test positive for COVID-19, the hospital will be able to cohort them in a unit prepared to adequately meet their needs, Finkler said.

Another reason for testing is that, now that the governor is

cause they’re wrong,” Tol said.

“If they didn’t shift, it would be a major flaw in the model.”

What causes that shift? Tol said it was human action and leadership.

From a clinical standpoint, Finkler said the hospital system needed to be prepared for scenarios where they could have needed twice the number of ICU beds.

“Fortunately, we didn’t have to utilize or activate these plans, but we certainly were prepared,” Finkler said.

allowing elective surgeries to resume, several studies have shown patients with COVID-19 have an increased mortality rate post-procedure of 20%-40%.

“I think that we would all agree that is absolutely unacceptable and nowhere near what that mortality should be,” Finkler said. “So this is really for the safety of our patients as well as for the safety of our staff.”

Regarding hospital revenue, Tol said that AdventHealth is expecting a significant loss since there were no layoffs or furloughs. All in all, Tol said it was the right decision. He thanked the community for its support in the last few weeks.

“The outpouring of support has been incredible,” he said. “It’s something our whole team gets emotional about.”

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8

Classifieds 12 Real Estate 10

MAY 7, 2020

YOUR NEIGHBORS The return of child care?

Some Flagler and Volusia facilities are slowly reopening, but the majority remain closed.

How many will close for good?

BRIAN MCMILLAN EXECUTIVE EDITOR

W

ith more parents working from home — or stuck at home after having lost their jobs — the demand for child care has plummeted, forcing about 60% of the 400 child care centers in Volusia and Flagler counties to close.

The facilities that have remained open, including Bunnell’s Ity Bity Learning Center and Ormond Beach’s La Petite Academy, have adjusted to life with stringent sanitation protocols and drastically reduced enrollment.

The next few weeks will be critical for the child care industry, according to D.J. Lebo, CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia. As the economy reopens, parents will go back to work and will need child care again. But how many facilities will reopen? How many will decide to close permanently?

“There was enough supply for the demand of child care before the pandemic,” Lebo said. “After, if the supply is half the demand, that’s going to raise the cost of child care to an astronomical cost.”

Therefore, keeping child care facilities alive is a priority for the state’s economic health, she said.

To some level, the state is still funding 250 of them in FlaglerVolusia, based on the income of parents, even if the facilities are closed for now.

“The hard part for child care programs is they don’t have a lot of money in the bank,” Lebo said.

“And they’re not usually strong business people. They know what to do with a 2-year-old who’s biting, but they don’t know how to

COST OF CHILD CARE It can cost $8,000 for a year of child care for an infant, which is more than it costs for a year of tuition for a freshman at the University of Florida.

Many families receive subsidies for child care from the Office of Early Learning, a division of the Florida Department of Education, that can bring the cost down to just a few dollars per week; others who fall just outside the income brackets can spend as much as 50% of their income on child care, according to D.J. Lebo, CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia.

apply for a PPP loan.”

Fortunately, signs are positive.

Ity Bity and La Petite are seeing enrollment increase slowly. And, Lebo said, “We’ve already heard from 10 that plan to reopen in the next two weeks. One was very excited. She was only reopening part of her school, and she’s not sure her workforce is going to feel comfortable enough to come back, but they’re going to try. It’ll be interesting to see what the next three weeks bring.”

ITY BITY LEARNING CENTER

Rebecca Miller owns two child care facilities in Bunnell: Ity Bity Learning Center and Jet’s Day Care Inc. She has kept both of hers open, but numbers have dropped.

Prior to the pandemic, Jet’s had 39 students, plus a waiting list.

At its low, it had four students.

Ity Bity used to have 52 students, plus a waiting list. At its low it had nine.

Miller was grateful for the supplies donated recently by the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler

Courtesy photo

La Petite Academy teacher Amber Housing, with students Emmett Schandel and Aria Ledebauche

La Petite Academy Director Debbie Lipinski

and Volusia. Thanks to an expedited United Way grant, in the past few weeks the ELC distributed $22,000 worth of cleaning supplies for facilities that remain open. Before the donations, Miller and other facilities had to scour grocery stores for supplies like toilet paper and hand soap.

And thanks to the continued financial support from the state, Miller said, “We weren’t affected too much.”

There is a new protocol, though: Parents can’t enter the building to help their children wash their hands and take a seat for breakfast. Instead, children are only allowed in if they have an acceptable temperature.

Miller also takes other precautions, including running all the toys through a sanitizing dishwasher each day. She doesn’t require her teachers to wear masks, for fear of traumatizing the children.

“Some kids were excited to come back, and then you see some children having a little bit of separation anxiety, because they’ve been home with mom or dad,” Miller said May 4. “The staff were exited this morning to see the kids come back.”

LA PETITE ACADEMY

Delores Cope, Melanie Barclay and Kim Kania, of the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia, help deliver some of the $22,000 in cleaning supplies for child care facilities, thanks to a United Way Grant.

Debra Lipinski, director of La Petite Academy of Ormond Beach, feels fortunate that her facility has been able to stay open as well. Enrollment has dropped, and there is a new protocol of temperature checks; parents aren’t allowed inside anymore; hand washing regiments are enhanced.

Staff at La Petite Academy does wear masks. “It started out as

La Petite Academy teacher Ciere Surgeon helps Athena Higgins wash her hands.

being very weird, but it’s become more routine,” she said, adding: “We are looking forward to the end.”

One problem with masks is that the students can’t see the facial expressions of the teachers. For a speech instructor, that’s especially important, so one speech instructor at La Petite Academy is now wearing a transparent face shield instead.

Although the masks will eventually go away, the hand washing and other increased sanitizing will remain.

“There’s always runny noses — it’s just the way it is,” Lipinksi said. “But since we’ve started these new protocols, we haven’t been sending anyone home sick. I had one parent say, ‘Gee, my little girl hasn’t had a runny nose since all this started.’ Granted, there’s only five kids in her classroom, but it’s definitely going to have an effect on keeping kids healthier year round.”

SNAPSHOT OF DEMAND BEFORE THE PANDEMIC

39

Jet’s had 39 students, plus a waiting list.

52

Ity Bity had 52 students, plus a waiting list.

LOW DURING THE PANDEMIC

4

Jet’s had 4 students.

9

Ity Bity had 9.

AS OF MAY 4

14

Jet’s had 14 students.

28

Ity Bity had 28.

REAL ESTATE

ORMOND BEACH OBSERVER

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OrmondBeachObserver.com

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020

Beachside home sells for $445,000

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

MARCH 29-APRIL 4

A

house within walking distance to the ocean was the top real estate transaction for March 29 through April 4 in Ormond Beach and Ormond-by-the-Sea. Nathan and Laura Huffaker, of Ormond Beach, sold 941 Margarita Circle to Michael Orbin, of Ormond Beach, for $445,000.

Built in 1989, the house has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,397 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $340,000. Following is a partial list of the week’s other sales.

JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ORMOND BEACH Pamela Bleakney, of Ormond Beach, sold 5 Bridget Terrace to David and Roberta Bech, of Ormond Beach, for $249,900.

Built in 1978, the house has three bedrooms, two baths, a fireplace and 1,786 square feet. It sold in 2016 for $182,500.

Tymber Creek Allen and Tina Miller, of Clinton Township, Michigan, sold 27 Baymeadows Court to Richard and Donna Hoffman, of Jacksonville, for $169,000. Built in 1978, the house has two bedrooms, two baths, a fireplace and 1,293 square feet. It sold in 2014 for $120,000.

KB Home Jacksonville LLC, of Jacksonville, sold 19 Bella Vita Way to Danielle Auld, of Ormond Beach, for $202,990.

Built in 2019, the townhouse has three bedrooms, 2.5 baths and 1,687 square feet.

Tomoka Oaks William and Rebecca Darby, of Ormond Beach, sold 326 River Bluff Drive to Daniel Peterson, of Ormond Beach, for $345,000.

Built in 1981, the house has three bedrooms, two baths, a fireplace and 2,454 square feet. It sold in 1993 for $122,500.

D.R. Horton Inc., of Orlando, sold 246 Sandoval Drive to Roger and Debra Dean, of Ormond Beach, for $271,150. Built in 2020, the house has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,828 square feet.

Arbor Oaks Suzana Petkovska, of Ormond Beach, sold 12 Oakwood Park to Philip Tomich, of Eastport, New York, for $150,000. Built in 1983, the townhouse has one bedroom, 1.5 baths, a fireplace

ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA Charles Mecklem, of Ormond Beach sold 121 Mariners Driveto Linda Smith, of Omaha, Nebraska, for $320,000. Built in 1986, the house has three bedrooms, 2.5 baths and 1,673 square feet. It sold in 2019 for $200,000.

Courtesy photo

The house has a pool and 2,397 square feet.

and 1,524 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $40,000.

The Trails Barbara LeBlanc, of Ormond Beach, sold 3 River Ridge Trail to Matthew and Allison Reynolds, of Ormond Beach, for $339,900.

Built in 1981, the house has four bedrooms, three baths, a fireplace and 2,604 square feet. It sold in 2004 for $253,400.

Amanda and Kyle McDaniel, of Ormond Beach, sold 9 Iroquois Trail to Carol O’Neill and Karen Thorburn, of Ormond Beach, for $339,000. Built in 1978, the house has four bedrooms, three bedrooms, a fireplace, a pool and 2,856 square feet. It sold in 2016 for $300,000.

Park Place Jennifer Judd, of Loris, South Carolina, sold 41 Park Place to

MOTIVATED SELLER MCALISTER

This awesome coastal style home just off of prestigious John Anderson Drive in Ormond Beach is a stones throw from the Halifax River and the Atlantic Ocean. A Public Dock sits just down the road, launch your kayak or cast a line for some awesome river fishing.

MLS#1070538 $328,000 Call Tom Foster 516-233-8992.

RIVER BREEZE ESTATES

Light and Bright 2 bedroom home in a quiet Palm Coast neighborhood. This is a great house to call home with spacious bedrooms featuring walk-in closets, open living room, large eat-in kitchen, and nice dining room with sliding glass doors leading to a huge fenced back yard. MLS#1070554 $155,000 Call Beau Warren 386-589-5754.

THE ULTIMATE BEACHSIDE BUNGALOW... No attention to detail has been spared in this fabulous home within an easy stroll to the Beach or River! Totally Turn Key...

Luxuriously updated throughout! Light and airy... Open yet defined... The home reflects a contemporary beach flair with PIZZAZZ and WOW VALUE! MLS#1070270 $287,900 Call Thomas A Zarske 386-235-9680.

Breakaway Trails Jason and Kristen Blanton, of Daytona Beach, sold 20 Lake Vista Way to Jason and Nicole Barnes, of Ormond Beach, for $315,000. Built in 1989, the house has four bedrooms, two baths, a fireplace, a pool and 2,596 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $306,000.

James and Charlotte Chiddister, of Ormond Beach, sold 33 Sand Dollar Drive to Cevin Galvis, of Ormond Beach, for $365,000.

Built in 1988, the house has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,085 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $315,000.

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

ORMOND BEACH RESTAURANTS

WANT TO ADD NEW OUTDOOR DINING OPTIONS?

Just reduced! This beautiful 3/2 concrete block home is situated on the 12th fairway of Oceanside Country Club and is nestled in between the Atlantic Ocean and the Halifax River. MLS#1069544 $489,000 Call Katie Vedder 386-675-5115.

QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD

Prepare to be WOWED! 2/2 Stunning Condo, totally remodeled! Located in the highly sought after Ormond Heritage. The beach, river, parks, boutique shops, and restaurants are just steps outside of your own resort-style oasis. MLS#1070614 $345,000 Call Jessica Melton 386-675-2445.

Twin River Estates Jeffrey Thorla, individually and as trustee, sold 7 Riverdale Ave. to Eric Jones, of Ormond Beach, for $263,000. Built in 1968, the house has four bedrooms, three full baths, two half-baths and 3,162 square feet.

Lars Holbrook and Alicia Barker, of Ormond Beach, sold 2810 Ocean Shore Boulevard Unit 30 to Richard and Constance Gordon, of Ormond Beach, for $215,000. Built in 1971, the condo has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,216 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $204,900.

TRITON BEACH

CONDOMINIUM

CORPORATE OFFICE - 386-677-SOLD (7653) 900 West Granada Blvd., Ste. 3, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 BEACHSIDE OFFICE - 386-441-SOLD (7653) 2110 Oceanshore Blvd., Ste. B, Ormond Beach, FL 32176 PORT ORANGE OFFICE - 386-767-SOLD (7653) 840 Dunlawton Ave., Ste. D, Port Orange, FL 32127 COMMERCIAL OFFICE - 386-253-8565 211 E. International Speedway Blvd., Ste. 104, Daytona Bch, FL 32118

Tania Marchand, of New Smyrna Beach, for $172.500. Built in 1981, the townhouse has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,477 square feet. It sold in 2016 for $122,000.

Rita Haines, of Parrish, sold 105 Sandpiper Ridge Drive to Roger and Cynthia Hagood, as trustees, for $320,000. Built in 1994, the house has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,612 square feet.

It sold in 1994 for $44,000.

Only a mile south of Granada Bridge-near boat launches and riverfront parks! Gorgeous landscaping and a lush green lawn welcome you home. FOUR spacious bedrooms!The master bedroom has shining new floors and the other three bedrooms have refinished gleaming hardwood floors. MLS#1070458 $179,000 Call Bonnie Karet 386-295-2109.

334594-1

Email desired seating configuration to ComDev@OrmondBeach.org Provide a sketch of the desired outdoor seating area (aerial, photograph, or site plan) For parking areas not in main travel aisles: provide temporary fencing/markings of expanded seating area Please do not use main travel lanes in parking lots without a permanent barrier in place Handicapped walkways required No fire department access concerns (provide access to building/FDC/fire hydrant) A building inspector or planner will review final set-up on-site QUESTIONS? CALL (386) 676-3341

334919-1

10

ORMOND BEACH OBSERVER

OrmondBeachObserver.com

ADOPTABLE PETS

KNIGHTS FUND SCHOOLS

DAR ANNOUNCES NEW OFFICERS Clementine is a 2-year-old domestic shorthair cat.

Clarke is a 4-year-old terrier and American Staffordshire mix.

Panda is a 10-year-old Boxer mix with a black and white coat.

Those wishing to adopt a pet can meet the animal via Zoom or Facebook. To adopt, contact adoptions@halifaxhumanesociety.org.

The Capt. James Ormond Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution has announced its recently-elected officers, who will hold their positions through 2022. The officers are: n Greta Daigle, recording secretary n Karen Syphers Knowles, historian n Sharon Lehto, parliamentarian n Carla Weber, corresponding secretary n Susan Darden, treasurer n Mary Louise English, librarian n Lee Thornton, regent n Denise Sikes, registrar n Kathleen Stickney, chaplain n Catherine Greenblum, vice regent

GARDEN CLUB WINS YEARBOOK AWARDS The Cherry Laurel Garden Club of Daytona Beach has won two awards for its submittal of its annual yearbook: The 2019 Florida Federation of Garden

by Zhouqin Burnikel; CROSSWORD OFF-SCREEN Edited by David Steinberg

Clubs Yearbook Award and the 2019 Deep South Region Yearbook Award.

The yearbook competed with that of 235 other clubs at the state level and won at the FFGC judging, according to a press release. After that, the yearbook was sent to the Deep South Region Garden Clubs for judging against yearbooks from the six participating states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. The club’s yearbook will now be sent for judging to the National Garden Clubs, Inc. The Special Yearbook Committee was composed of Chair Carole Valcik, Andrea Clark, Liz Christman, Kathleen Pruett, Amy Valcik and Club President Nannette Baker. The women not only documented the club’s history and featured the floral design talents of Penny Decker and Andrea Finn, but also “reinforced shared values of community service and stewardship, celebrated affiliations with other organizations, and provided a variety of educational resources and practical information.”

This was the first yearbook

TEACHER APPRECIATION National Teacher Appreciation Week will run through May 8, and Volusia County Schools is encouraging the community to show their messages of sup-

100 Food coloring, for one 101 Blown away 103 “I have nothing more to say” 107 Reporter’s concern 110 Poughkeepsie college 113 Necessary items 116 Harbor city where lots of grain is exported?

119 Googling “Dragnet” star Jack, e.g.?

123 Soon, poetically 124 Longtime journalist Roberts 125 Baby seat, at times 126 Anticipate with trepidation 127 Silent assents 128 Night vision?

129 Performed like Billie Eilish 130 Greyhound’s grow DOWN 1 Tesla Model 3, e.g.

2 Thickener used in Asian desserts 3 Ho Chi ___ City 4 Borden’s spokescow 5 Lewis with the hit “Bleeding Love” 6 Like ceviche or poke 7 Homer’s dad 8 Shuts with force 9 Finder’s words 10 Hunting garb, briefly 11 Berry that may improve brain function 12 Tends to marinara sauce 13 Long, long time ©2020 Universal Uclick 14 Rap great Mac ___ 30 Iowa senator Joni 56 “Conan” network 80 Ghana’s capital ACROSS 15 Devoid of vegetation 31 China setting?

57 Sadat in Egyptian history 81 Toys may hang over them 1 Caravan animal 16 Words of confidence 34 Personal shopper’s 59 Walker, on road signs 83 “The Matrix” hero 6 Poorly thought-out 17 Charitable gifts concern 60 Draft holder 86 Photoshop seller 10 Sized up for a heist 18 Fat in mincemeat 37 Tiny lie 61 Lake west of Carson City 87 Article in some rap album 15 Reporter’s concern 24 Israeli intelligence agency 40 Ship in Battleship, 63 Mann of “The Other names 19 Like Pilates instructors 26 Oscar’s roommate in “The informally Woman” 88 Lizard with sticky feet 20 Up to the task Odd Couple” 41 Banks of fashion 65 Not imaginary 89 Lead pipe, e.g., in Clue 21 One in a cast 29 BLT condiment 44 1988 film featuring a 67 Bounces back 91 Pear problem 22 Org. with many volunteer 32 Dutch bloom savant 69 List-shortening abbr.

92 Platform for Memojis attorneys 33 Put up with 48 Slip up 70 Not disrupt 93 Tail swipe from a stur23 Dognapper’s outfit?

35 “Have a sample!”

49 Spiteful wild cat?

72 ___ down vote (Congress geon, say?

25 Picture holder made in 36 Tug hard 95 Tolkien tree being 52 Guadalajara gold action) Bangor?

37 Wild 96 “How fancy!”

53 Rock’s ___ Speedwagon 73 Irrational suspicion 27 Horned herbivore 38 Goddess of peace 54 Cloudfoam sneaker brand 76 Start from scratch with 98 Doe or fawn 28 Kiss-and-tell book, 39 Window shopper’s money?

55 Quivered 99 Redd’s Apple ___ 77 Cherokee and Cree perhaps 42 Stole cattle

43 Arthur of tennis fame 45 Instagram caption for a yawning parent picture?

46 Shady retreat 47 Battery-free smoke detectors 49 ___ Trench 50 Core group 51 French wine valley 58 Communion site 60 Keeps for later 61 Highest level 62 Steer clear of 64 “Strange Magic” rock grp.

66 Anvil or hammer, anatomically 68 Director’s shout 70 Wood used to make ships 71 Lisa of “Enemy of the State” 73 Barbecue spot 74 Sound from Sneezy 75 Device for Arctic anglers 78 Black piano key material 79 Seven, in Rome 82 “Just joking!”

84 Bother greatly 85 Milky gemstones 88 Arizona river 89 Bellicose sorts 90 Current venues?

93 Big name in orange soda 94 Understands 97 Sheets and such 102 Summon forth 104 Curling venue 105 West Yorkshire’s largest city 106 Come to know 107 Read over quickly 108 Comedian Jay 109 Slugger with 2,086 career RBIs 111 Opera solo 112 Flower support 114 De Matteo of “Sons of Anarchy” 115 Sword fight mark 117 PC monitor type 118 “___ favor” 120 Jerry’s ice cream partner 121 Hold out a paw, say 122 “Good” cholesterol initials

COA RECEIVES GRANTS FOR MEALS The Council On Aging of Volusia County recently announced it received a $40,000 grant from Truist Financial Corporation to launch the Emergency Senior Nutrition Program, which will provide provide prepackaged meals to at least 500 elderly Volusia County residents for one month, a press release stated.

The grant provides the first 266 participants with two 14day meal deliveries, and the program is designed to encourage mobile seniors to stay at home during the pandemic. It also aims to minimize outside contact for at-risk seniors.

“As the COVID-19 outbreak has impacted our area, COA has been receiving more requests for home-delivered meals,” said Sarah Gurtis, Council on Aging’s president and CEO. “In response, we have been fast-tracking those who call as well as those who have been on the waiting list for meals. This generous support from Truist helps us immensely as we support our seniors in remaining safely at home with the items they need until this crisis passes.”

CELEBRITY CIPHER

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present.

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“BK DEI JNF ... XNZ ... XCYZ BK ...

VSYIIY. ... N GST ZKAIVSTZ ST S WNDE, SEP ZXIYI HCTZ GIYIE’Z BSEK ASYZT UDY WNDET.”

– JIYZ WSXY

“L SJGF UXCFY HLISFK XUV RNIC J XFH HUVKI UX MUGF XVUO UYF OJY, VJCSFV CSJY CSF JZZMJNIF UX CSUNIJYKI UX ZFUZMF.”

– RNKD PJVMJYK Puzzle Two Clue: O equals M

Courtesy photos

The new officers for the Capt. James Ormond Chapter of the DAR.

The Knights of Columbus Prince of Peace Council 8791’s annual Campaign for Citizens with Disabilities fund drive made it possible to distribute $6,260 in grants to five Ormond Beach schools, two charities serving people with developmental disabilities and a statewide charity, a press release stated.

The recipients were the Special Olympics Volusia/ Flagler and ARC of Volusia, and each received $1,567; the Exceptional Student Education programs at Ormond Beach Middle School, and at Pathways, Pine Trail, Tomoka and Osceola Elementary, and each received $500; and the Florida KoC Charities Inc., which received $626.

The grant funds came from the council selling Tootsie Rolls at local stores and at Prince of Peace Catholic Church earlier this year. The Campaign for Citizens with Disabilities is the Knight’s largest annual fundraiser, according to the press release.

port with signs and marquees.

Signs in store windows, electronic message boards and static marquees were listed as ways to show support in an email by VCS. Additionally, the school district asks that you consider sending teachers a shout-out via business social media accounts with the hashtag #VCSTeachersAreSuperheroes.

Puzzle One Clue: F equals G

DeeDee is a 7-year-old terrier and American Staffordshire mix.

11

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

YOUR TOWN

supported by local businesses, many which both gave advertising sponsorships and are supporting the club as it plans to host the upcoming District VI fall meeting.

|

© 2020 NEA, Inc.

SUDOKU

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

©2020 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

05-07-20

CLASSIFIEDS

weren’t many parts for lions.”

– Bert Lahr Puzzle Two Solution: “I have often wished for just a few words of love from one man, rather than the applause of thousands of people.”

– Judy Garland

This week’s Sudoku answers

Thursday, May 7, 2020

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers

I was typecast as a lion, and there just weren’t many parts for lions.”

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers – Bert Lahr Puzzle One Solution: Puzzle Two “My one bigSolution: ... hit ... hurt my ... career. ...

“I Ihave often wished for just few just words was typecast as a lion, and a there ofweren’t love from one man, rather than the many parts for lions.” applause of thousands of people.”

– Bert Lahr – Judy Garland Puzzle Two Solution:

I was typecast as a lion, and there just weren’t many parts for lions.”

– Bert Lahr Puzzle Two Solution: “I have often wished for just a few words of love from one man, rather than the applause of thousands of people.”

– Judy Garland

INFO & RATES: 386-492-2784 • Fax: 386-447-9963 • EMAIL: classifieds@ormondbeachobserver.com • ONLINE: classifieds.ormondbeachobserver.com Puzzle One Solution: Puzzle One Solution: HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9am-5pm • DEADLINES: Classifieds - Monday at Noon • Service Directory - Friday at 3pm • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card “My one big ... hit ... hurt my ... career. ... “My one big ... hit ... hurt my ... career. ...

Items Under $200 For Sale

Autos For Sale

1800’S BRASS bed, full size, needs refinishing $180 386-689-1338 3 PIECE Broyhill wood entertainment center very good condition $150 386-793-5510.

ABOVE GROUND pool filter assembly and 1.5 horse motor 3 years old $175 386-445-1817.

BIKES (2)ADULT M/F Huffy; like brand new . Price Firm $100 (386) 445-9842.

KITCHEN FORMICA table with leaf and 6 cane back chairs $100 386-437-3441

“I have often wished for just a few words week’s answers of This love from one Sudoku man, rather than the applause of thousands of people.”

– Judy Garland

MOVING BOXES, clean, used one time. 2 wardrobes and 40+ boxes $40 386-263-7496.

This week’s Sudoku answers

NEW MEDICAL equipment: walker $85, wheel chair $115 386-437-7058.

©2020 NEA, Inc.

This week’s Sudoku answers This week’s Crossword answers

Need to make some room?

NEW TIRE DONUT, DONUT SIZE- T135/90D16 from Mitsubishi outlander $50.00 (954) 258-1190.

Use Observer Classifieds to sell your items quickly

RINKER 21’ fiberglass boat, needs work, in dry storage for extended time $200 386-445-0057.

386-492-2784

TARGUS TSB 212 Laptop Backpack. New, tags, 12 compartments, warranty, $65 (386) 316-9990.

Announcements

CLASSIFIED LINE AD PRICE

First 15 words ..................................... $17.50 per week Each Add’l word .......................................................50¢ 15% DISCOUNT for 4 week Run Yellow color $5 per Week • Border as low as $3 per Week Call: 386-492-2784 Fax: 386-447-9963 Email: classifieds@ormondbeachobserver.com

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Medical Marijuana Card

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Help Wanted

Adult Care Services

ADULT AIDE/COMPANION. Assistance for 19 year old autistic girl. Perfect job for special ed/ nursing student. (407) 505-8752.

HVAC SERVICE TECHanswers This week’s Crossword

3 yrs minimum experience Fast growing company with full time hours.

Apply on site, email or fax. 401K available Arctic Breeze Air Conditioning 15 Hargrove Ln 2C, Palm Coast, FL 32137 email: arcticbreezeair@gmail.com 386-446-8894; F 386-446-1746 EOE/DFWP

Call 386-319-1600 RXPO.COM

2017 DODGE Grand Caravan 10” lowered floor, ramp & tie downs $32,995 727-492-1630.

2020

This week’s Crossword answers

Fast - Easy Guaranteed Or You Pay Nothing Yes We Are Open!

ReCertify by Phone

Autos For Sale

This week’s Crossword answers

©2020 NEA, Inc.

Get Your

Want Some Mad Money?

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PLUMBING

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BLINDS/WINDOW TREATMENTS

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THIS SPACE COULD BE

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