Ormond Beach Observer 8-6-26

For sale: Osceola Elementary

Ormond Beach Police Community Outreach Officer Marc Pedevillano (right) plays pickleball with his son Salvatore at the second Open Court event at the Nova Community Center on Thursday, July 30. Photo by Michele Meyers

Vince Carter (right) helps a camper at his youth basketball academy. Photo by Michele Meyers

NEWS BRIEFS

Sheriff Staly arrests 125 mph super speeder while off duty

According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Rick Staly was off duty and traveling with his wife to a dinner meeting Friday evening when a super speeder flew past his unmarked patrol vehicle on Interstate 95. The agency said Staly conducted a traffic stop and arrested a Palm Coast man after the driver’s alleged reckless driving reached speeds of up to 125 mph.

Staly paced the Challenger between 115 and 125 mph for nearly six miles while attempting to stop the driver, who was allegedly weaving across all three lanes of traffic and passing within three to four feet of the rear bumpers of slower vehicles.

The sheriff activated his lights and siren, and the driver eventually pulled over on I-95 just south of Old Dixie Highway in Volusia County.

The driver, Arul Nayak, 22, of Palm Coast, turned off the car, placed the keys on the roof, and was taken into custody without incident.

Because the traffic stop ended just inside Volusia County, he was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail, where he was being held on a $500 bond.

Palm Coast man arrested after child sex abuse investigation

According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, a Palm Coast man was arrested following a 17-month investigation in which detectives determined he sexually abused

two young girls on multiple occasions.

The investigation began in February 2025 after the Florida Department of Children and Families received a report concerning the suspect, Joseph Spector, 38, of Palm Coast, inappropriately touching a minor. A DCF investigator contacted an FCSO school resource deputy to assist with interviewing the victim at her school.

“I commend those two brave victims, as this investigation never would have happened without their courage to speak up and come forward,” said Sheriff Rick Staly.

Staly encourages anyone who is a victim of child sexual abuse or knows someone in Flagler County who is to report it by contacting the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at 386-313-4911. Reports may also be made to the Department of Children and Families Abuse Hotline by calling 1-800-962-2873 or using the online reporter portal at reportabuse.myflfamilies.com.

Deputies arrested Spector on two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he is being held on a $150,000 bond.

Ormond man accused of confining child, feeding food contaminated with feces

An Ormond Beach man is facing multiple felony charges after investigators accused him of subjecting two children to prolonged abuse and neglect, according to a social media post from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office announced that detectives arrested William Conner, 42, of Ormond Beach, on charges of two counts of child abuse and

two counts of child neglect following an investigation that began after a Florida Department of Children and Families referral in May.

According to the sheriff’s office, investigators determined Conner’s primary victim was a 12-year-old boy who was allegedly deprived of food and water and forced to stay inside a detached laundry room that had no air conditioning, running water or bathroom access. The child reportedly told detectives he was forced to use a bucket as a toilet while confined in the room.

The sheriff’s office alleged that Conner fed the boy food contaminated with animal feces and gave him water mixed with urine. According to investigators, the child vomited after learning what he had consumed, and Conner laughed.

Detectives also said the boy reported being struck with a studded belt, electronic cords and plastic spatulas as punishment.

According to the sheriff’s office, Conner monitored the laundry room using a camera and, at times, allegedly forced the child to remain awake throughout the night, using a two-way audio system to taunt him if he fell asleep.

Investigators said a 14-yearold girl was also subjected to some of the same mistreatment.

The sheriff’s office said both children are now in a safe environment but did not release additional details to protect their privacy.

The investigation stemmed from a Department of Children and Families case that was referred to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office in May. Detectives said the investigation established probable cause to charge Conner with two counts of child abuse and two counts of child neglect.

According to the sheriff’s office, Samantha Lucas, 33, was also arrested and

charged with two counts of child neglect in connection with the case.

The sheriff’s office said Conner and Lucas were arrested and booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail before both posted bond and were released.

Flagler deputies rescue Palm Coast homeowner from house fire

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies helped rescue a Palm Coast homeowner from a house fire after responding to reports of smoke coming from a residence on Westmoreland Drive.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched on July 29 after a passing driver reported seeing smoke coming from the home. The deputies were the first emergency personnel to arrive at the scene.

After encountering thick black smoke at the front door, deputies heard the homeowner screaming for help from the back of the house. They located the man on the rear patio, unable to move and only a few feet from the advancing flames.

While one deputy worked to keep the fire from spreading with a fire extinguisher, another helped the homeowner to his feet and guided him away from the burning home to safety, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Palm Coast Fire Department and Flagler County Fire Rescue crews then arrived and extinguished the fire.

Sheriff Rick Staly praised the deputies’ actions.

“It’s not every day we are firemen too,” Staly said. “Situations like this are why every deputy’s patrol vehicle is equipped with a fire extinguisher and deputies are trained for any emergency.”

JULY 21

CREATING AN EMERGENCY

8:41 p.m. — 2000 block of North Beach Street, Ormond Beach Threat to bomb. Police arrested a 48-year-old woman who reportedly called 911 and said she was going to burn down a local state park.

According to an arrest report, the woman had been recently added as a new park volunteer that week. A park employee told officers that the woman had been “behaving strangely” throughout the day and making accusations that somebody was trying to kidnap her. The employee also said he had received a call from campers around 8 p.m. that evening about a woman screaming at campers, and then another call about a woman making sexual advances and demonstrating threatening behavior at another group of campers.

Police discovered the woman was living in a camper at the park. They knocked on the door of the camper and the woman came out fully naked “in a hostile manner while yelling and raising her arms,” according to the report. She smelled like alcoholic beverages.

She was detained and brought clothing at the scene.

The woman told officers that she had been calling 911 all night in reference to suspicious people in the park that she claimed were trying to kidnap her. She explained that she threatened to burn down the park to make “law enforcement respond quicker.”

During the investigation, police discovered the woman hadn’t called 911 about the alleged kidnapping concerns; she had called park rangers. She was taken to jail.

JULY 24

EGG-SASPERATED

10:06 a.m. — 200 block of Rosewood Avenue, Ormond Beach Criminal mischief. An Ormond Beach homeowner called police after she found egg shells and egg yolks on the walls of her house, as well as on her outside patio furniture and planters.

The woman told police she suspected her neighbor was behind the vandalism, believed to have occurred overnight. She explained that there is “tension” between them due to multiple incidents, including one time where her neighbor sped his lifted truck down the street while it was flooded, creating a wake that caused water to flood into her garage. She didn’t want to press charges, but wanted police to document the incident.

Ormond Beach is interested in buying former Osceola Elementary site

School Board intends to demolish existing buildings and sell property. If city doesn’t buy it, land may be developed as more homes.

JARLEENE

ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

The Volusia County School Board is getting ready to sell the former Osceola Elementary school site, and Ormond Beach is expressing interest.

The City Commission first discussed looking into purchasing the 11.6-acre property at 100 Osceola Ave. during its workshop on July 28, after the School Board submitted a letter of first right of refusal to the city. Volusia County Schools intends to demolish the existing school buildings and sell the property as a cost-savings measure, as maintaining the site is costing the district about $3.43 million a year.

At the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 5, city staff relayed that the district has had two offers on the property so far: One for $2.35 million, and another for $2.5 million. The school district is keeping it on the market to see if a higher offer comes in.

And if the city doesn’t purchase it — be it for a park or stormwater mitigation — some preliminary concepts show development plans for about 30-40 houses, city staff reported.

“Right now, we’re looking at a vital piece of property that could go to a developer,” City Commissioner Kristin Deaton said. “And let’s face it, all we hear all day from everybody who comes up here is that they don’t want to see more development. This would be more development.”

City staff said they first

NEWS BRIEFS

Industrial facility in Ormond Beach sells for $5.6M

A 53,330-square-foot industrial facility located in Ormond Beach’s Airport Business Park recently sold for $5.6M. Owned by a JP Morgan Investment Management entity, the facility at 7 and 9 W. Tower Circle was purchased by Thoroughbred Classics, LLC, owned by Daytona Beach resident Rick Cordes, according to a press release. The property sold on July 23 and currently has industrial warehouse buildings. The sale price equals about $105 per square foot. For Salik, the transaction also reflects a broader trend within Florida’s industrial market, which the press release states continues to be one of the strongest sectors within the state’s commercial property market, as demand for warehouse, manufacturing and distribution facilities remains steady.

Bald eagle ambassador recovering after surgery

Liberty, one of the Marine Science Center’s resident bald eagle ambassadors, is recovering after a surgery done in July to improve her quality of life.

Liberty, the female half of the center’s bonded bald eagle pair, underwent a wing amputation at the elbow after arthritis caused her injured wing to droop and become increasingly painful. The procedure, performed by the Marine Science Center’s avian veterinarian, was recommended to relieve discomfort and improve her long-term mobility and well-being.

learned that the Osceola site could be surplussed by VCS about a year ago.

Osceola Elementary was eliminated in 2021 when the school district merged it with Ortona Elementary to create Beachside Elementary. The new school was built on the former Ortona campus and opened its doors in January 2023.

The Osceola school site later housed Tomoka Elementary faculty and students as their school was rebuilt. In 2024, VCS relocated its alternative education program, Riverview Learning Center, to the campus. That program is now moving to a vacant middle school building at Holly Hill School (which used to be a K-8 and is now just an elementary school).

The city has had an interlocal agreement with the school board since about 1974 for park facilities at the Osceola site, which currently has baseball and basketball fields, a tennis court, a playground, restrooms and parking.

The School Board obtained an appraisal for the property for about $3.3 million. The city obtained three appraisals for the site, ranging from $1.7 million to $3 million.

Should the city purchase the property, staff estimates it will cost the city $30,000 a year as is. Staff also provided funding options for purchasing the property, including using general fund reserves, recreation impact fees or parks and rec millage. (Increasing the millage rate was also proposed as an alternative, but commissioners were not in favor of this option).

While the commission seemed mostly in favor of the city acquiring the property, Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie expressed hesitation, citing possible budget impacts should the state’s

property tax reform amendment pass in November. He also mentioned that the city would be purchasing the school site without a plan for what it would do with it, likening it to the former church site at 56 N. Beach St. “I don’t know how well that’s going to go with the whole community, as a whole, because it is an expensive purchase and we have a lot of surplus land right now that we haven’t done anything with,” Leslie said. He noted he was not in favor of more development, however. Deaton said his concern was understandable, but mentioned that is why she leaned toward using recreation impact fees to purchase the site. The city has about $1.5 million in this fund, which is used for new facilities. The city can also look at selling other properties to offset the remainder of the purchase cost, she suggested.

Since the surgery, Liberty has continued to make steady progress while receiving around-the-clock care from the center’s animal care team, including regular bandage changes, pain management and antibiotics. To support her recovery, Liberty and her lifelong mate, Freedom, have been temporarily relocated from their public exhibit to an enclosure near the Marine Science Center’s bird hospital, where staff can closely monitor Liberty’s healing.

While the eagles are off exhibit, the Marine Science Center is completing maintenance to its Bird Boardwalk habitat, including roof repairs

and lowering perches to make the exhibit more accessible when the pair returns.

Liberty and Freedom serve as ambassadors for their species, helping educate thousands of visitors each year about bald eagle conservation and wildlife rehabilitation. The pair first came to the Marine Science Center after sustaining permanent injuries that prevented their return to the wild. Freedom previously underwent a wing amputation because of those injuries, and with Liberty’s recent surgery, the mated pair now share matching amputations on the same wing. While many visitors know

“Of course, I’m always wanting to be fiscally responsible,” Deaton said. “However, I haven’t heard one resident come to me and say, ‘I’d love 35 houses.’”

If property tax reform passes in November, the city can address the budget issues at that time, she said. The city doesn’t have the luxury of waiting to see what happens with property tax reform before expressing interest in buying the Osceola site, Deputy Mayor Lori Tolland said. The School Board had originally asked for a July 22 response, and the city requested a two-week extension.

If the city wishes to purchase the property, VCS also indicated it would not entertain a period longer than six months for due diligence, during which the city could explore uses of the site.

“We are on a time constraint,” Tolland said. “It’s not

the Marine Science Center for its nationally recognized sea turtle rehabilitation program, the center also provides critical medical care and rehabilitation for thousands of injured and orphaned birds each year. From seabirds and shorebirds to raptors like bald eagles, the center’s dedicated veterinary and animal care teams work to rehabilitate wildlife for release whenever possible while providing lifelong care for non-releasable ambassador animals that help inspire conservation through education.

The Marine Science Center plans to reintroduce Liberty and Freedom to their Bird Boardwalk habitat once Liberty has fully recovered and exhibit improvements are complete.

Volusia expands Highbridge Park with riverfront acquisition

The Volusia County Council has approved the acquisition of a 14-acre riverfront parcel at 4310 John Anderson Drive in Ormond Beach, expanding Highbridge Park and securing a key gateway along the Halifax River corridor.

Volusia County funded the purchase through countywide Park Impact Fees, an approach in which growth helps pay for the park capacity that growth demands.

The acquisition addresses one of the area’s most persistent challenges: parking at the one-acre Highbridge Park. With public road frontage and river access, the new parcel creates room to expand parking and improve public access, ease chronic congestion, and protect ecological resources along this stretch of the river.

The parcel, now part of a 6,000-acre protected land corridor, also advances a conservation vision the state has already outlined. It lies within the optimum boundary

enough time for us to come up with a plan, but I tink we all came up with some pretty viable uses for that property that would help our community. Either it’s stormwater or recreation, or paid parking for the beach. We do have some assets that we can look at to try to mitigate the cost.”

City Commissioner Travis Sargent said he agreed with the uncertainty surrounding property taxes, but that if the city doesn’t purchase it, a developer will build homes.

“I think it’s too valuable to let it go,” he said. “Our residents deserve stuff on beachside for recreation. It’s been in our long-term plan. ... To me, it’s a lifetime opportunity that we cannot pass up.”

The commission directed staff to submit a letter of intent to purchase the property to the School Board, willing to negotiate the purchase price up to $2.5 million.

of North Peninsula State Park.

By securing the property, Volusia County links county and state conservation lands into a more connected whole.

The property holds frontage on the Halifax River, sits within the 100-year floodplain, and includes coastal and estuarine habitat identified as vulnerable to sea-level rise in the coming decades.

Agreement reached on state funds for teacher salary increases

Volusia County Schools and teachers union Volusia United Educators recently reached an agreement regarding Teacher Salary Increase Allocation funding.

According to a news release by the school district, the agreement includes about $611,111 more in funding on top of the previously allocated $4 million. The TSIA is composed of state dollars distributed to school districts to help with recruitment and retention of teachers and instructional personnel.

The agreement dictates that teachers will receive the following salary increases, based on teaching experience:

„ 10-15 years — $1,800

„ 16-20 years — $2,200

„ 21-25 years — $2,600

„ 26 years and up — $3,000

“Let’s face it, all we hear all day from everybody who comes up here is that they don’t want to see more development. This would be more development.”

KRISTIN DEATON, Ormond Beach city commissioner

“Our employees are the foundation of Volusia County Schools, and we remain committed to supporting and investing in the people who make a difference in the lives of students every day,” Superintendent Dr. Carmen Balgobin said in the news release.

While an agreement on TSIA allocations has been reached, collective bargaining continues with VUE for new educators and those not eligible for TSIA dollars. In a letter to union members clarifying the TSIA agreement, VUE President Elizabeth Albert said VUE is “bargaining in good faith to secure an equitable outcome for all instructional employees.”

Education support professionals, and trades and service professionals do not receive TSIA funding, Albert explained in the letter, adding that local negotiations are taking place “within the limitations created by the state.”

“The frustration surrounding this legislation is understandable,” Albert wrote. “But that frustration should not be directed toward coworkers who may qualify for funding, or toward those who were excluded. It should not divide educators from one another. The real issue is not who was included. The real issue is that the Legislature chose not to invest in every educator.”

Liberty in June 2026, before her wing amputation surgery.

Osceola Elementary, Ormond’s only beachside school, closed in 2021 to allow a new consolidated school to be built at Ortona Elementary. File photo by Michele Meyers

The

Facing property tax uncertainty, Ormond eyes cuts instead of tax hike

City leaders back a flat millage rate while weighing targeted spending cuts before property tax vote.

RICH CARROLL MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER

Ormond Beach commissioners signaled they intend to keep the city’s property tax rate unchanged for the 2026-27 fiscal year, but several members pushed to trim spending as the city prepares for the possibility of sweeping property tax changes that could significantly reduce future revenues.

During a July 28 budget workshop, staff presented a proposed $152 million budget that maintains the city’s operating millage rate at 4.3202 mills, the same as the current fiscal year. The spending plan emphasizes public safety, infrastructure improvements and parks while preserving reserves ahead of a proposed constitutional amendment that could substantially reduce future property tax revenues.

The proposed budget totals $152,035,454 and includes continued investments in police and fire services, a $17.6 million stormwater pump station project largely funded through grants, reconstruction of the Ormond Beach Sports Complex softball fields, the design of Nova Field No. 1 and reconstruction of the Riviera Park fishing pier. It also projects General Fund reserves of 15.6%, consistent with the commission’s reserve policy.

Staff told commissioners the budget process began

months earlier than usual because of uncertainty surrounding property tax reform being considered at the state level.

If approved by voters in November, the proposed constitutional amendment would eventually expand homestead exemptions and could eliminate homestead property taxes altogether. Staff estimated Ormond Beach could lose nearly $5 million in revenue in fiscal year 2027-28, followed by another $3.2 million the following year.

Although those changes would not affect the upcoming budget, staff said they influenced the city’s strategy of maintaining the current tax rate while preserving reserves for future years.

The proposed operating millage remains at 4.3202 mills, while the overall citywide tax rate would decrease slightly because debt service for the Andy Romano Beachfront Park bonds is declining as taxable property values increase. The proposal repre-

sents a 3.37% increase over the rollback rate of 4.1794 mills, with the average homesteaded property owner expected to pay approximately $9.55 more annually under the city’s portion of the tax bill.

Deputy Mayor Lori Tolland reminded commissioners that the tentative millage approved during the budget process establishes only the maximum rate the city may levy later.

“We can decrease it, but we cannot increase it,” Tolland said before budget discussions continued.

While supporting the current tax rate, Tolland proposed delaying several capital projects until after November’s statewide vote.

Among her suggestions were postponing $150,000 for Nova Field No. 1, delaying the next phase of security improvements for public works and fire facilities, and reconsidering other discretionary projects after voters decide the future of property taxes.

“I personally would like to keep the tax millage rate flat,” Tolland said. “But I do have some suggestions on some expenditures I think we could delay.”

Commissioner Kristin Deaton followed with a broader list of proposed one-time reductions totaling roughly $1 million, saying the city should demonstrate fiscal restraint without reducing core services.

Deaton proposed eliminating funding for bridge uplighting, removing Nova Field No. 1 from the upcoming capital plan, delaying additional security upgrades, reducing commissioner travel expenses, trimming the public art budget, reducing community event funding and ending the city’s annual subsidy for youth sports organizations by shifting those costs into registration fees while continuing scholarship opportunities for families who need assistance.

“I propose we maintain the current flat millage and general funds so that we can pre-

serve the quality of life and services that Ormond Beach residents expect and deserve,” Deaton said. “However, due to a possible impending tax reform in November, I am proactively proposing the following one-time cuts that could be up to a million dollars from our budget.”

Deaton emphasized that many of the reductions could be restored if the anticipated property tax changes do not materialize after the November election.

Commissioner Travis Sargent expressed hope that this year’s budget process would proceed more smoothly than last year’s discussions.

“I’ll just say it: Last year,” he said. “I hope this year goes better than last year’s budget ... We gave direction to staff to provide us a budget to keep the millage the same ... I know last year was a whirlpool. Last minute I came in with cuts ... I got labeled as a disgrace or an embarrassment to the community... I am comfortable keeping the millage the way

we asked staff. I understand putting some things on hold, but I will not put any safety issues, safety measures on hold.”

Throughout the workshop, commissioners generally agreed on maintaining the current millage rate while debating whether certain discretionary projects could be postponed until the financial outlook becomes clearer after November’s statewide vote. No formal action was taken on Deaton’s proposed reductions during the workshop. Commissioners are expected to continue refining the proposed spending plan before the first public budget hearing on Sept. 9 and the second and final public hearing on Sept. 23, when the commission is scheduled to adopt the final millage rate and fiscal year 2026-27 budget. Under Florida’s Truth in Millage process, the commission may reduce the tentative millage rate before final adoption but cannot increase it.

Ormond Beach commissioners discuss the proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget during a July 28 workshop at City Hall. Screenshot

Ormond Beach to proceed with 18-month moratorium on data centers

At the Aug. 4 meeting, city staff provided a timeline concering comprehensive plan and LDC amendments.

JARLEENE

ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Last week, the Ormond Beach City Commission unanimously approved a 18-month moratorium on data centers, providing a window of time for staff to work on implementing the ultimate discussed end goal: a total ban.

At the commission’s meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 4, city staff provided an overview on what will take place over the next several months as staff proceeds with comprehensive plan and land development code amendments to ban data centers. This was in response to resident concerns raised at the commission’s last meeting on July 28 surrounding what would happen during and after a moratorium expired.

“There was a lot of concerned residents that I’m sure reached out to all of us after Tuesday’s meeting about the moratorium,” Mayor Jason Leslie said, explaining that

they were concerned whether the 18-month moratorium would be enough time for the city to pass a ban.

City staff affirmed it will be.

The commission will discuss data center regulation at its next meeting on Aug. 25. Following policy direction from officials, the Planning Board will meet on Sept. 10 for a public hearing on the issue. The amendments will come before the City Commission for a first reading on Oct. 20.

After that, on Oct. 27, city staff will transmit the regulations to the Volusia County Growth Management Commission and other state agen-

cies. A second public hearing on the amendment will take place on January 5, 2027. Staff will submit the result of the vote to state agencies on Jan. 12, and the amendments will go into effect on Feb. 13.

“I know it does seem like it’s forever, but being on the Planning Board before, I know how that goes and this is the most legal, sure way of getting the job done,” Deputy Mayor Lori Tolland said.

Though in favor of a ban, public speakers at Tuesday’s meeting wanted the city to act faster and more decisively.

“We had to wait 12 weeks for a moratorium without a

defined outcome, and that uncertainty is what led to the public concern expressed last week,” Daytona Beach resident Catherine Pante said.

“Had the proposed moratorium included a clear and expedited timeline culminating in a permanent data center prohibition ordinance, residents would have viewed it as a meaningful step toward protecting our community.”

Leslie suggested the city put out a portal on the city’s website where residents can track the progress of a data center ban, and commissioners agreed. City Commissioner Travis Sargent also asked if

there was interest to send letters to all the municipalities in the county to inform them of the city’s timeline regarding a data center ban.

Tolland said the city should monitor the county’s actions regarding data centers as well, as its heavy industrial zoning district has a broad range of uses, and the county has such land in proximity to Ormond Beach’s city limits. One example is 874 Hull Road, where Belvedere initially wished to construct a fuel farm. Volusia County is exploring a six-month moratorium on data centers.

Space Coast uniform donated for public display in Daytona Beach

The Space Force Association and The Veteran’s Museum and Education Center unveil uniform.

The Space Coast Chapter of the Space Force Association made history when it gifted an authentic, fully fielded, active-duty Guardian Space Coast Uniform to The Veteran’s Museum and Education Center in Daytona Beach, on Tuesday, Aug. 4. It was the first time such a uniform has been donated for display in the United States.

“The government doesn’t make these in bulk,” said Florida Sen. Tom Wright (District 8). “Since there are only 3,000 guardians in the Space Force, they make them individually

for each member.”

Wright, who is the chairman of the Military Veterans Space and Domestic Security Committee for the state of Florida, spoke at the event, and was actively involved in the search for the uniform.

“This means the world,” Wright said. “We’ve been looking for this uniform for over a year. I was not aware how hard it was going to be.”

Chelsie Bottoms, the president of the Space Coast Chapter of the Space Force Association said, “This uniform is a little bit more special.”

Bottoms’ husband, Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) Senior Master Sgt. Ernesto Bottoms, personally donated his own active duty uniform for the display. He has served over 18 years in combined military service.

Chelsie Bottoms spoke especially to the veterans in attendance.

“You [veterans] understand

the significance of preserving military heritage, Bottoms said. “Each uniform tells a story that represents the men and women who answered the call to serve and the evolution of our nation’s defense.”

Part of The Veteran’s Museum and Education Center mission is to educate the next

generation about the sacrifices and contributions of those who have served our country.

“When young kids grow up and they see these uniforms and what it represents, and they see the pride that these young men and women have in their country and for their community and for their family, then it inspires them to serve,” said Robert S. Katz, CEO and executive director of World Innovation Network.

“We’re here to pass that torch on to look up to the next generation. So that they can also aspire to be protectors and guardians.”

“It’s right here in Daytona,” Wright said. “Right here in our backyard.”

The Veterans Museum and Education Center is located at 302 Vermont Ave. in Daytona Beach. Visit www.vmaec.org

Wright said that he hopes more people will take the time to go see the uniform on display.

Chelsie Bottoms, Jose Rosa, Florida State Senator Tom Wright, and Robert S. Katz look on at the moment of the unveiling.

Photo by Rachel Mills

Daytona Beach City Commission proposes $406.5M budget, a 7% increase

Proposed spending plan would raise tax revenue, invests nearly $24M in capital projects.

RICH CARROLL MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER

Daytona Beach officials unveiled a proposed $406.5 million budget for the 202627 fiscal year Wednesday, July 29, outlining a spending plan that maintains the city’s current property tax rate while investing in infrastructure, public safety and long-term capital improvements.

Presented during a budget workshop by the city’s Budget Review Committee, the proposed budget totals $406,522,340, a 7.01% increase over the current fiscal year’s adopted budget. The proposal includes a $164.2 million General Fund, nearly $24 million in capital investments and is based on maintaining the city’s current 5.9300 millage rate.

In his budget message, Daytona Beach City Manager Deric Feacher described the proposal as “the first budget cycle developed under a comprehensive modernization of the City’s budget process,” citing a revised fund presentation structure, expanded financial narratives and a formal capital project scoring methodology designed to improve transparency and strengthen financial planning.

Feacher said the new budget format is intended to establish a stronger financial foundation for future budgets while meeting the standards of the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award program.

SPENDING PRIORITIES

The proposed budget was developed as Daytona Beach experiences slower revenue growth after several years of rapid increases fueled by new construction. According to the budget document, the slowdown places greater emphasis on the city’s existing tax base and non-ad valorem revenues while lawmakers in Tallahassee continue discussing potential property tax reforms that could affect local governments in the future.

To prepare for those uncertainties, Feacher directed city departments to submit budgets with no new General Fund positions, identify 5% reductions in operating expenses, review all open capital projects and implement recommendations from the city’s internal auditor aimed at improving transparency, including separate accounting for food purchases, travel expenses and vehicle allowances.

Although departments were prohibited from requesting new General Fund positions, the proposed budget includes four new enterprise-funded positions within the Water & Sewer and Stormwater departments. Because those positions are supported entirely through utility revenues, they were excluded from the hiring freeze. The positions carry a combined cost of $322,779.

PROPERTY TAX RATE UNCHANGED

The proposed spending plan maintains the city’s current 5.9300 millage rate, though commissioners will still have the option of adopting the rollback rate of 5.7309 mills during September’s public hearings.

According to the budget document, adopting the cur-

rent rate instead of the rollback rate would increase the annual tax bill by approximately $20.09 per $100,000 of taxable value.

THE CITY’S TAX BASE CONTINUES TO EXPAND

The presentation shows Daytona Beach’s taxable value has reached $11.74 billion, including approximately $878 million in new construction, while each mill of property tax now generates more than $11.1 million in revenue.

ENTERPRISE FUNDS DRIVE OVERALL INCREASE

Much of the overall budget increase comes from the city’s enterprise funds, including water and sewer, stormwater, solid waste, Halifax Harbor and the pier.

According to the proposed budget, roughly $13 million of the increase is attributed to higher projected revenues within enterprise operations, including additional revenues for Water & Sewer, Stormwater and Solid Waste. Another $2.8 million reflects impact fee revenues that previously were budgeted later in the fiscal year through quarterly amendments but are now included in the annual budget for greater transparency. Overall, enterprise funds would increase from $158.3 million this year to $171.7 million under the proposal. The General Fund would increase from $159.6 million to $164.2 million, a 2.87% increase.

PUBLIC SAFETY REMAINS TOP PRIORITY

Public safety continues to represent the largest share of General Fund spending.

The proposed Police Department budget totals $54.1 million, while the Fire Department would receive $20.6 million, together

accounting for nearly $75 million in General Fund expenditures.

The budget also provides salary increases for city employees.

Public safety personnel would receive a 3% pay increase in October 2026 followed by an additional 4% increase in April 2027. Other city employees would receive a 3% raise in October and another 2% increase in April.

NEARLY $24 MILLION FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

The proposed budget includes $23.94 million in capital investments, with 28 of 66 requested projects receiving funding. Departments submitted more than $53 million in capital requests, leaving many projects unfunded this year.

Among the largest General Fund projects are:

„

$3.71 million for citywide fleet replacement;

„ $3.27 million for road resurfacing and restoration;

„ $1.76 million for an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system upgrade;

„ $550,000 for trip-and-fall abatement;

„ $500,000 each for roof repairs and air conditioning replacements;

„ $407,140 for replacement of the Police Department’s cybercrime evidence server.

The Community Redevelopment Agency budget also includes several major projects, highlighted by $3.01 million toward construction of the new Main Street pier. Additional projects include $244,097 for Sickler intersection improvements, $221,182 for South Atlantic streetscape improvements and $189,221 for Beach Street redevelopment.

Leon Judge orders rewrite of property tax ballot measure

The title and summary of a property tax cut proposal to be placed on the November ballot contain political rhetoric and are misleading, and must be redrafted, a Leon Circuit Court judge ruled late Monday.

“Voters are entitled to a fair, clear, accurate and non-misleading ballot statement to assist them in making their critical determination,” Judge David Frank wrote in his 18-page ruling. “The present ballot language would deprive the voters of the opportunity to make a meaningful decision.”

The proposal was drafted by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has toured the state slamming the spike in property tax revenues over the last six years by local governments. The measure increases the homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and raises it to $250,000 in 2028. Another provision reduces the annual cap on assessment increases for

FUNDING GAPS REMAIN

Despite the proposed capital investments, several highcost projects remain unfunded.

City staff identified approximately $2 million needed for storm repairs at the pier, a $2.4 million marina bathroom renovation project and $300,000 for marina sidewalk repairs.

Staff recommends commissioners identify an alternative funding source for the pier repairs while completing

non-homestead properties from 10% to 5% But before passing it the GOP-led Legislature changed the measure to carve out the portion of property tax bills that pay for public schools from the increase in the homestead exemption. The ruling is a win for the groups that initially brought three different lawsuits against the proposed amendment before they were consolidated into one case. But the victory doesn’t mean the measure will be tossed from the ballot. Under state law, if the ruling isn’t appealed Attorney General James Uthmeier has 10 days to rewrite the ballot summary in line with Frank’s instructions.

“Our goal here right from the beginning was not to take this off the ballot,” Jamie Cole, attorney for Save Our Voters From Misleading Ballot Language, told the News Service of Florida. “We want the voters to have the opportunity to make an informed decision and in order to do that they need fair and accurate language.” —GRAY ROHRER

the marina improvements in phases over multiple years.

HEARINGS SCHEDULED

The City Commission will continue reviewing the proposed budget before adopting a final spending plan in September.

The first public hearing on the proposed millage rate and budget is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 9, with the final public hearing set for 6 p.m. Sept. 23 at Daytona Beach City Hall.

Jennifer Bright City Commission Ormond Beach – Zone 2

Ted Rhodes City Commission Ormond Beach – Zone 3

Anthony Gorham County Council Volusia County – District 3

Damien Curry Mayor City of Ormond Beach

Alan Burton City Commission Ormond Beach – Zone 1

Melissa Thorne County Council Volusia County – District 1

Mike Poniatowski County Council Volusia County – At Large

Barry DuMoulin City Commission Ormond Beach – Zone 4

David Sosa County Council Volusia County – District 5

Coleen McMahon City Commission Ormond Beach – Zone 1

Dr. Dean Condon School Board Volusia County – District 5

Q+A JASON LESLIE,

Potential tax reform impacts, the budget, and learning on the job

BRIAN MCMILLAN PUBLISHER

Tensions are high, as property tax reform is debated among elected officials and residents. Population growth has many residents looking for answers. With that in mind, here’s how the mayor sees it.

As part of the Observer’s ongoing series of interviews with elected officials from the City of Ormond Beach, Mayor Jason Leslie this week submitted answers, in writing, to the following five questions.

What is the city doing well for its residents, and what are some things you think can be improved?

Ormond Beach continues to provide an outstanding quality of life. We’ve maintained a balanced budget while keeping the second lowest millage rate in Volusia County, invested in public safety, improved parks and stormwater infrastructure, and launched a recently upgraded city website that makes it easier for residents to access information and city services.

We’ve also done a great job revitalizing our downtown district, making it an even better destination for residents and visitors, and we continue to provide outstanding recreational facilities and programs for our youth and families. In 2025, Ormond Beach was recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the best places to live in Florida, something our entire community can be proud of and a reflection of the hard work of our city employees, volunteers and residents.

There is always room to improve. I want to continue strengthening communication with residents, investing in infrastructure, improving traffic flow where possible, and ensuring growth is managed responsibly while protecting Ormond Beach from incompatible development. My focus will remain on preserving the quality of life that makes Ormond Beach such a special place to call home while continuing to make city government more responsive, transparent, and efficient.

With Ormond Crossings on the horizon, how can the city best prepare to ensure needed infrastructure is in place?

Ormond Crossings was approved before my time in office, but it is now our responsibility to ensure it has as little impact as possible on the residents who live here today. The developer must meet all required obligations for infrastructure improvements, and the city must ensure those commitments

are fulfilled.

We also need to work closely with Volusia County, the Florida Department of Transportation, utility providers, and other agencies to make sure roads, stormwater systems, water and sewer capacity, parks, and public safety services are ready as the project moves forward.

Ormond Beach has been a Tree City for a long time. What are some standards that help maintain that designation, and should the city strengthen protections for greenbelt buffers? If so, what could that look like?

Being recognized as a Tree City reflects Ormond Beach’s long-standing commitment to preserving our urban forest. Maintaining that designation requires a strong tree ordinance, ongoing tree management, public education, and continued investment in our tree canopy.

I support reviewing ways to strengthen protections

for greenbelt buffers where appropriate. Greenbelts help preserve the character of our community, provide environmental benefits, and create a natural buffer between neighborhoods and development. Trees help absorb rainfall, reducing runoff and serving as part of our natural defense against flooding. They also produce oxygen, improve air quality, and enhance the beauty of our community.

With tax reform on the ballot, what are some priorities you’d like for the city to keep in mind as it plans the budget for next fiscal year?

My priority is protecting essential city services while being responsible with taxpayer dollars. Because tax reform may pass, I believe we should begin making thoughtful, recurring budget reductions this year rather than waiting until next year to react. By planning ahead,

we can reduce unnecessary spending and improve efficiency while protecting core services such as public safety, infrastructure, parks, and stormwater management.

I also don’t want to see residents hit with new or higher service fees just to make up a budget shortfall. The city should live within its means, plan responsibly, and maintain the high level of services our residents expect.

What is one thing you have learned about the city since you became mayor? What is one thing you have learned about yourself?

Although I didn’t grow up in Ormond Beach, serving as mayor has given me a much deeper appreciation for this community’s history. Longtime residents have shared the stories behind many of the issues we still face today, and those conversations have helped me better understand where we’ve been and make more informed decisions

about where we’re going. I’ve learned that listening to people with different perspectives and experiences is one of the most valuable parts of public service. I’ve also learned that I’m at my best when I listen more than I speak. Being mayor has reinforced the importance of patience, keeping an open mind, and making decisions based on what’s best for the entire community—not just one group or the loudest voices. Every day is an opportunity to learn, and I believe that mindset makes me a better leader.

Editor’s Note: Since this is election season, and Leslie is on the Aug. 18 ballot, a brief explanation is needed. All elected officials from the City of Ormond Beach have either participated in, or have been invited to, our Q+A series. This is part of our goal of holding government accountable and building bridges of understanding. Lori Tolland was recently featured in the series, because of her role as a city commissioner. Coincidentally, she is also running for mayor. The other candidates were not offered a Q+A opportunity, since this is for elected officials only. However, all candidates for City Commission and the role of mayor participated equally in our Election Guide, and, at the suggestion of a letter writer, we also have invited all local candidates to write a letter on any local topic.

Ormond Beach Mayor Jason Leslie. File photo by Jarleene Almenas

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Observer invited all Ormond Beach candidates to submit letters this week. More will follow next week. Submit to jarleene@ observerlocalnews.com.

Ormond needs to live within its means

Dear Editor:

One of the lessons I learned serving on my HOA board is that leadership is not about spending more money. It is about solving problems, setting priorities, and respecting the people who pay the bills. When our community faced a major infrastructure challenge, we worked together to find a solution while remaining under budget and avoiding fee increases that would have hurt residents living on fixed incomes. That experience taught me an important lesson: Good leadership starts with responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

As I speak with residents, I hear many of the same concerns. Families are facing higher costs. They expect their local government to be just as careful with money as they are. That does not mean cutting essential services. Public safety, infrastructure, parks, and stormwater management are core responsibilities of city government. But it does mean asking tough questions. Are we spending efficiently? Are projects being prioritized properly? Are taxpayers receiving the best value for their investment?

Government should not automatically grow larger every year simply because it can. Every dollar collected from residents should be tied to a clear public benefit. Transparency, accountability, and fiscal discipline should guide every major decision.

Ormond Beach is a special place because of its people, neighborhoods, natural beauty, and strong sense of community. Protecting that quality of life requires leadership that listens, plans carefully, and focuses on results.

As a Navy veteran, local business owner, lifeguard, and HOA board member, I have seen firsthand the importance of service and accountability. I believe local government works best when it remains focused on the needs of residents rather than the growth of bureaucracy. Our city’s future depends on making smart decisions today. We can protect the character of Ormond Beach, maintain essential services, and invest in our future without losing sight of the taxpayers who make it all possible.

DAMIEN CURRY Candidate for mayor of Ormond

Beach

Accountability and transparency are more than slogans

Dear Editor: Accountability and transparency are easy to promise and easy to forget once the votes are counted. The real test is whether a candidate can show you the numbers and say exactly what they will do. I can. Residents, not City Hall, should set Ormond Beach’s priorities. Take the airport. The city’s own books show its fund deep in the red, covered by your general-fund tax dol-

lars. I will push to make it pay for itself.

Take growth. It is coming either way. The question is whether we manage it or it manages us. Through impact fees, new development should cover the full cost of the roads and infrastructure it demands, every dollar, not the taxpayers. And our comprehensive plan needs a hard look, with changes where needed. I will not vote to up-zone land.

Take River Bend. As I campaign, residents tell me again and again: They want their course reopened. I am listening. I will push the city to sell it to an operator who will restore and reopen it for the residents who love it, at no cost to taxpayers.

Two of them answer directly to the commission equally: the city manager and the city attorney. Commissioners cannot approach a department head except through them. Evaluating those two is the commission’s only real leverage, and I will use it. I will hold them accountable: open the books, rein in spending, and bring decisions into the open. And we should hire our own landuse attorney with real expertise, working for residents. Most of all, I will be reachable. I will hold town halls and be available by phone.

Accountability and transparency are not a slogan to me. They are the job, and I mean every word. Plain truth: residents sit at the top of the org chart, and every city official works for us, not the other way around. I will be the voice of the residents. It’s time to remind them who they work for. Vote for me, and let’s all take our city back.

COLEEN MCMAHON Candidate for Ormond Beach City Commission, Zone 1

Thirty-seven years of dedicated public service in Ormond

Dear Editor:

I offer you what no other mayoral candidate can: 37 years of dedicated public service to making our Ormond Beach community the extraordinary place it is to live, work and raise our families … and my steadfast commitment as your next mayor to make it even better. I have a deep appreciation and the institutional knowledge of just how our city has become nationally recognized as one of the best places to live. My record shows I’ve contributed to improving our outstanding quality of life.

As city commissioner since 2022 and current deputy mayor, I strive to make every tax dollar count by maintaining low property tax and water rates, prioritizing public safety, improving infrastructure and addressing flooding, making amenities affordable for everyone and investing in small businesses — the backbone of our economic growth.

I’ve demonstrated my environmental commitment by launching strong opposition to the proposed Belvedere Terminal and more recently data centers, supporting the Scenic Loop, community gardens, and native plant projects, and driving improvements to parks, recreation facilities and public spaces.

My management skills evolved over 45 years of married life through the challenges of raising a family of seven kids while enjoying my nursing career and supporting my husband’s medical practice.

Through decades of volunteering with church, school, civic and nonprofit organizations, I’ve learned to collaborate and put others first. I listen and lead by example

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with integrity. I take a balanced approach to decisionmaking and focus on what is best long-term. My core values include honesty and respecting all points of view. I live these values every day. If you honor me with your vote, as your mayor my vision is to continue pursuing opportunities to improve Ormond’s quality of life for all residents. Everything I do on the City Commission is grounded in what is legally possible and practically feasible within our city government framework. The decisions I make are for the good of all residents. I welcome your ideas and constructive feedback as we are invested together in our city’s future. Lastly, thank you for your dedication to the city we love. I welcome you to continue sharing your opinions with me and learn more about my vision for Ormond Beach at LoriTollandfor Mayor.com. I am honored to earn your vote.

LORI TOLLAND Candidate for mayor of Ormond Beach

My background is needed on the

City Commission

Dear Editor:

There are a variety of issues that have plagued Ormond Beach in the past and loom over us for the future, so with this limited space I will speak in generalities and not to one specific issue. What lacks in our commission now and for many years in the past is diversity. Most commissioners who now sit on the dais have only worked in one field and are not knowledgeable outside their spectrum and this appears at workshops, commission meetings, or just open discussions. Maybe this is why we are digging a hole that is becoming increasingly

harder to crawl out of. Do I have a diverse background? Yes. Eagle Scout, and then commencing into banking, from mailroom to the auditing division, a degree in business administration, former law enforcement officer (federal, county, local), operations manager for a large telecommunications company in New England then Northern and Southern California, 24 years active and reserve with the United States Coast Guard working overseas and major ports, ops manager for a $450 million offshore LNG facility with a $6.1 million yearly operational budget as well as overseeing ship to ship LNG transfers in Argentina so to provide low-cost clean energy to developing pueblos and barrios (communities), two years conducting contractual work for the Department of Justice/FBI and Department of Homeland Security on Port Security. Within Ormond Beach: two years on the planning board, eight years strengthening the portfolios of our firefighters’ pension funds, nine years as president of our HOA and only having to raise fees by $10, and I still serve on the board as director, presenting my restored military jeeps for local functions. I talked about flooding in 2018 when I ran then, and feel that issue has been kicked down the road. I also fear that, once Avalon Park and Ormond Crossings are established, due to a lack of vision or comprehension, our current commission will fail us. I just wish to see the cycle of developer, insurance, and other large corporate- backed candidates divorced from our government and more divergent individuals who seek to better our community.

BARRY DU MOULIN Candidate for Ormond Beach City Commission, Zone 4

MY VIEW DONNA BROSEMER, VOLUSIA

Volusia Schools’ response was only part of the story

I learned a lot from Paul Harvey, in particular, to always tell “the rest of the story.” That’s what we’ll do today.

Volusia County School’s district administration responded to [my] recent column regarding their use of Richard Milburn Academy and the resulting effect on school grades. Their response rests on a single idea: that district grades are “calculated as if every student countywide ... is part of one combined school,” so RMA’s results still count, and moving students there changes nothing.

That sentence appears, nearly verbatim, on page 30 of the state’s 2025-26 Guide to Calculating School Grades, District Grades and the Federal Percent of Points Index. The district quotes only the half that helps it. Here’s the rest of the story:

The same state guide explains that when an alternative school chooses, as RMA did, to receive a School Improvement Rating instead of a school grade, its students’ performance is normally “tied back,” or counted, to their home-zoned school — their assigned school.

Here is what the district omitted. The guide carves out this exception: except when the alternative school

is a charter school. RMA is a charter school. So the reading scores, math scores, learning gains and graduation-cohort membership of every student sent to RMA are removed from the grade of the high school that sent them.

The op-ed’s core claim was never about the district overall grade; it was about district efforts to protect individual high schools’ grades and ensure that the state minimum of 95% of students are tested at each school.

The district argues that the state sets the grading formula. True, but irrelevant. No one said otherwise. Volusia merely found a work-around.

The district insists RMA’s outcomes still count toward district accountability. True, but incomplete. It’s true that at the district level, a nonexcluded alternative-school student does count.

However, the district omits another exclusion in the guide: students in alternative schools coded “R” for “dropout retrieval” or “E” for “alternative to expulsion” are “not included in school or district grades.”

That is the very population such programs serve. If Volusia assigns RMA students those codes, then the district’s assertion that RMA’s results “continue to count toward VCS’s overall district performance” is simply false.

The district argues that RMA’s 907 students equal only about 1.5% of 60,000 –too small to matter. But graduation rates are not measured against the entire student body. They are measured only across the size of the senior class of roughly 5,000

District responds Allegations should be grounded in facts

Ms. Brosemer’s column promises “the rest of the story.” It omits a considerable portion of it.

Her central new claim is that Richard Milburn Academy students may be coded “R” for dropout retrieval or “E” for alternative to expulsion, codes that would remove them from school and district grades. She writes that if Volusia assigns RMA students those codes, the district’s statement that RMA results continue to count is “simply false.”

We verified that claim against the state accountability records. For the 2025-26 accountability year, zero students districtwide carry the “R” code. Three students carry the “E” code, and all three attend Highbanks Learning Center. None attend RMA.

— and RMA now holds close to one in 11 of the county’s seniors, up from under one in a hundred a decade ago. Also, it observes that graduation rate and test proficiency measure different things, with multiple diploma pathways available. Fair, and again irrelevant to the core of the column: that RMA graduates 77% of its students, but reports 2% proficiency. SAT or ACT scores do not produce that graduation number; that number is earned by students who can pass the final tests.

The exclusion described in the column did not occur. Our statement was accurate. The factual premise underlying the column’s central allegation is incorrect.

Public officials have an obligation to ask difficult questions, and the district welcomes those questions. But public allegations should be grounded in verified facts, particularly when the information needed to verify them is readily available. When speculation is presented as fact, it creates unnecessary confusion for students, families, employees and the community. Accuracy should precede accusation. That matters beyond this single issue because the column’s conclusion depends entirely on a factual assumption that was never verified before publication. The records were available, and they do not support the allegation.

The column’s headline comparison fails for a dif-

RMA’s accountability label is not a letter grade at all, but a School Improvement Rating of “Maintaining,” built from just two numbers: an English score and a math score. The state file that records it contains no graduation-rate column whatsoever. Whether students are ordered or persuaded to transfer, enrollment counts do not reflect consent, and some of the district’s graduation gains are surely real. But the burden has shifted. The district says RMA changes nothing. The state’s guide

ferent reason. It contrasts a 77% graduation rate against 2% proficiency and treats the gap as self-evidently damning. Those figures answer two entirely different questions. Graduation rate measures whether students completed state graduation requirements through the diploma pathways established by the Legislature. Test proficiency measures performance on specific statewide assessments among the tested population. Comparing one directly to the other may produce a compelling headline, but it does not establish that one caused the other. The column also relies on internally inconsistent reasoning. It states that the state file recording RMA’s School Improvement Rating “contains no graduationrate column whatsoever,” while simultaneously relying on the school’s graduation rate as a central part of its argument. Those two propositions cannot support the

says a charter alternative school’s data is subtracted from its sending schools, and that dropout-retrieval and alternative-to-expulsion students are excluded from the district grade as well. That was the core explanation of the recent op-ed.

Volusia County Schools can clarify all of this by releasing the dropoutprevention program codes assigned to RMA’s students, and the “home-zoned school” field the state already collects for each of them. Those two files would show,

conclusion being advanced. On the broader framework itself, we agree with one point and have never suggested otherwise: the state of Florida establishes the accountability system governing alternative schools and determines how student performance is reported. That is not an irrelevant distinction. Districts do not write those rules and cannot alter them.

Finally, the column’s most serious insinuation is also its least supported. It suggests that students may be ordered or persuaded to transfer, yet offers no referral records, directives, family accounts or other evidence to support that claim.

Serious allegations affecting students, families and public employees deserve evidence, not inference. Suggesting misconduct without supporting facts invites readers to reach conclusions that the available record does not support.

without argument, how many students were moved, when they were moved, where they came from and whether their results were counted or quietly omitted. Until the district produces them, its response should be read for what it is: a fluent recitation of the parts of the rulebook that reassure, and a calculated silence about the parts that do not. The district answered questions the column did not ask and left the real ones untouched. That is the rest of the story.

DONNA BROSEMER GUEST WRITER

Yard work with Luke

BRIAN MCMILLAN PUBLISHER

The first couple of times Luke helped me mow the lawn, he took Gatorade breaks every time he completed a row. Needless to say, he wasn’t making good time. Meanwhile, I was on weed whacker duty, buzzing around the perimeter of our yard, slaloming the swales, circling the mailbox and the crape myrtle, and then, since he still had a long way to go with the mowing, I started using the weed whacker

to finish patches of grass that would have been much more efficiently done with a mower.

Today, however, he put on his Pokemon sunglasses and got to work — without a word of instruction from me. One of the only breaks he took was with me, to watch a butterfly.

At one point, as we met in the back corner of the yard, he even suggested he could start his own business when he’s old enough. I could tell he was proud of his progress because he kept reminding me.

“I bet there aren’t many 8-year-olds mowing the lawn,” he said Of course, I had to keep him humble. That’s one of the most important duties of a dad.

Shouting above the buzz of the weed whacker, I said, “Actually, I bet there are plenty of 7-year-olds mowing lawns right now.”

As I moved farther away, to ensure that I got the last word, I shouted louder: “Even 6-year-olds!”

But he raised his own volume another notch: “Yeah, right, Dad!”

We were having fun working hard, and I can’t decide whether I’m looking forward to the day when he can do the whole lawn all by himself.

HOW TO BE ASSERTIVE

July 23, 2026

I recently spoke with Maryiotti Johnson about a lesson she tried to teach a teenager she was mentoring: how to be assertive.

She taught that in a networking situation, you should plan out three objectives: Who do you want to meet? What do you want to

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Observer should begin endorsing candidates again

Dear Editor: It was disappointing to learn that the Observer will no longer endorse public office candidates even though it remains vital to communities. Vetting followed by endorsements by a local newspaper can fill the low information gap particularly in local elections, since those candidates rarely have large campaign budgets for TV ads, the hiring of opposition research companies, etc. Even a semblance of a newspaper editorial function with some in-depth fact checking of backgrounds, and in-person interviews

gives voters a heads up so they don’ t show up at the polling booth knowing almost nothing about the names on the ballot, which is too often the case.

Carrying the heavy load of vetting our local and state candidates has seemingly been relegated to FlaglerLive that does a fine job, though may not reach a broader audience. What could be a welcome complement to what FlaglerLive provides is more investigative journalism. But that seems not to be a high priority for the Observer for whatever reason. For the most part, the extent of editorial offerings and investigation by the Observer seems to rely

on “letters to the editor” submitted by civic minded sleuthing residents and an occasional “guest op-ed.” And that’s OK if that is the politically neutral business model it prefers. But, given the upcoming elections and a cast of characters with such varying and glaring qualification deficiencies, problematic past behaviors, and disturbing ideologies, maybe it’s time for the Observer to reverse course, even temporarily, and make endorsements. If it prefers, call it a “civic consumer guide” instead of an endorsement.

MARGARET MINUTAGLIO Palm Coast

say? What do you want that person to think of you when they leave?

I thought that was great advice, not just for teenagers but for anyone who is trying to expand their networks, including business professionals.

THE ANNOYING PIANIST?

July 28, 2026

In the summer, our children have a list of tasks to complete before they get access to electronics. One of those tasks is to practice piano, so I was pleased to hear my 8-year-old son, Luke, playing a simple, lovely song.

His sister Kennedy, 11, saw it a different way.

“Luke! You’re only playing so you can annoy me!” she bellowed, only half in jest.

“Kennedy,” I said, “I’m sure Luke has good intentions, and he would never play louder than necessary.”

Editor’s Note: This is a fraught topic, as many people in the past have criticized the Observer for making political endorsements. When my wife, Hailey, and I bought the newspaper, we decided to discontinue the practice of endorsements. Our goal is to create a newspaper that everyone can trust, no matter their political views, and I believe endorsements eroded that trust in the past.

From my experience, most readers adamantly do not want us to endorse candidates.

Thank you for your interest in the Observer’s coverage of candidates. We did publish an Election Guide on July 16, in which local candidates shared their views on local topics, enabling readers to easily compare what the candidates stand for.

The piano raged, as Luke pounded out “Rock Song,” on page 25 of Level 1 in the Alfred Series.

But then Kennedy provided some compelling evidence.

“Besides,” she said, “you already played today!”

“I just wanted to play again!” Luke said, as the volume increased.

Fortunately, his piano playing stamina is exactly 15 minutes and zero seconds, which is the minimum for it to count. He soon tired of playing, and harmony, so to speak, was restored.

IS ELVIS MARVEL?

July 31, 2026

After a bath tonight, 8-year-old Luke was combing his hair with some extra care.

“You look like Elvis!” I said.

He was puzzled.

“Who is Elvis? Is he Marvel?”

As far as investigative journalism, we are always eager to explore topics and people in depth, where resources allow.

— Brian McMillan, publisher

Concerns

about state’s intentions

Dear Editor: Much has been written about the property tax amendment and much more will be written in the months ahead. I would like everyone to consider a few things as time goes by. If you think for one minute the “leaders” in Tallahassee have our best interests in mind, think again. Consider two things of many that concern me regarding their intentions: 1. Consider how difficult

Publisher Brian McMillan, brian@observerlocalnews.com

Managing Editor Jarleene Almenas, jarleene@observerlocalnews.com

Associate Editor Brent Woronoff, brent@observerlocalnews.com

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if we have managed to pass their nearly impossiblerequirements, they find a way aroundit and ignore us.

2. Consider the largestever rate increase granted by the governor-appointed PSC to Florida Power & Light last year. Anyone notice an increase in their bill this month? I sure did. It was the highest in my 12 years in Palm Coast, and that was with the thermostat set at 80. Truth be told, I don’t think our property taxes are out of line. When I speak with family and friends who live in other states, they are amazed and envious. Please do some research and consider what will happen if this passes.

ED STUNDA Palm Coast

Send letters to brent@ observerlocalnews.com. We strive to adhere to the following guidelines on our opinion page: 1. No speculation on someone else’s motives; 2. No insults or personal attacks; 3. Be fair and respectful; 4. Be specific about concerns or accusations; 5. Verify all factual claims; 6. Focus on general topics of local interest; 7. Promote understanding.

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Day in Court

Ormond Beach Police Department hosts second successful Open Court pickleball event at Nova rec.

MICHELE MEYERS

WRITER

CONTRIBUTING

Back by popular demand, the Ormond Beach Police Department, in collaboration with the Parks and Recreation Department, hosted its second Open Court community event on Thursday, July 30. Local pickleball players gathered at the Nova Community Center to challenge OBPD officers to a few friendly matches on the indoor courts.

OBPD Community Outreach Officer Marc Pedevillano organized the first Open Court event in June after visiting area recreation centers while tending to daily business. He said he would stop in to meet people and interact with the community and noticed how popular pickleball was at the different facilities. He asked if anyone had ever considered a “pickleballwith-a-cop” type event.

“There were younger people and kids there, there were senior citizens and middleaged people there, all playing pickleball,” he said. “It appealed to everybody. So I started talking with the staff at the desk (about a pickleball event). They said they thought

it would be a great idea. We put one together about a month ago; everybody really loved it.”

Pedevillano partnered with the Nova Community Center and Special Populations Coordinator Lori Koplin, and the center’s recreation leader, Pete Carrasco. In July, Carrasco started contacting the OBPD about the pickleball players’ requests to have another Open Court event.

“Due to popular demand, and people in the community really enjoying it, I knew we had to do this again,” Pedevillano said. “It’s these types of situations or events where it gives residents the opportunity to interact with officers outside of emergency situations. It humanizes us.”

Ormond Beach Public Information Officer Pauline Dulang said OBPD schedules multiple community outreach programs throughout the year.

Annual events include DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), National Night Out, Shop with a Cop and Coffee with a Cop, to name a few. They are currently holding their annual back-to-school supply drive through August.

“If there’s anything that anybody knows about the Ormond Beach Police Department, community outreach is one of our biggest priorities, and that’s one of the initiatives that our chief (Jesse Godfrey) is a champion of,” she said. “He loves the amazing relationship that OBPD officers have with our community.”

Pedevillano’s wife, Zobe, volunteered to help at the Open Court event, and their son, Salvatore, joined forces with his dad on the pickleball court. Zobe and Marc retired from the New York Police Department before moving to Ormond Beach seven years ago. Salvatore will be joining the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office this year.

Zobe said they did a lot of community outreach while working with the NYPD. When Marc went from being the Student Resource Officer at Ormond Beach Middle to the OBPD community outreach officer in January, they knew they wanted to get to know the locals and vice versa.

“A lot of people, when they see police officers, they think it’s a crime being committed,” Zobe said. “We do more than solve crimes. We have a lot of resources. We do this because we want the residents to meet us, and we need to meet them. If they have any concerns, we can do referrals if we don’t have the resources to help them out. That’s why we do stuff like this so they can get to know us and hopefully on a

“If there’s anything that anybody knows about the Ormond Beach Police Department, community outreach is one of our biggest priorities, and that’s one of the initiatives that our chief (Jesse Godfrey) is a champion of.”

PAULINE DULANG,

public information officer

first-name basis.”

At the first pickleball event, participants who had never played the game were confused about the rules, so this time they recruited Terri Small, a certified pickleball coach at Pictona at Holly Hill, a 49-court pickleball facility. She was available throughout the event to answer questions, partner in matches if needed, and make official calls.

Small said she was thankful to Officer Pedevillano and the OBPD for making the event possible.

“It is a great opportunity to bring the community and police officers together,” she said. “Everyone was able to play alongside one another, have conversations and build positive relationships with in the community. I really enjoyed being part of this event and appreciated the chance to see the connection between the department and the people they serve.”

Ormond Beach Middle sev enth grader Thomas Martino and his uncle Benja min Stem berger have been playing pickleball for a couple of years. Martino said they came out because they really enjoy playing the sport.

“And we’re going to bring the fire, the heat and the energy (on the courts),” Stem berger said.

Ormond Beach City Com mission Zone 4 candidate Amber Bobak admittedly had never played pickleball before attending the Open Court event.

“What better way for us to be able to communicate and find out what each other enjoys, than to be with each other,” she said. “In a fun way. Not in a debate way. I could get into all of the analytic, politi cal, down-to-the-nitty-grit ty stuff if I needed to, but our everyday residents just want to know that we care about them and what’s happening in their day-to-day lives.”

Pedevillano said

the first half of his career with the NYPD was great, but the sen timent during the second half

City of Ormond Beach Public Information Officer Pauline Dulang and her husband Jake Spinale hang out at the Ormond Beach Police Department’s second Open Court community event.

Pete Carrasco, Nova Community Center director, keeps the pickleball matches moving.

Arthur Brown plays in a pickleball match.

Daytona Beach resident Benjamin Stemberger.

Ormond Beach Commission Zone 4 candidate Amber Bobak tries her hand at pickleball.

LOCAL EVENTS

THURSDAY, AUG. 6

RELAUNCH EVENT

When: 5-7 p.m.

Where: SouthState Bank, 175 Cypress Point Parkway, Palm Coast

Details: Attend the relaunch event of the Alzheimer’s Resource Council of Flagler County. There will be hors d’oeuvres, wine and entertainment. Sponsorships available. RSVP by Aug. 3. Call Maria Lavin-Sanhudo at 386-5699041 or email ARCofFlaglerCounty@gmail.com.

FRIDAY, AUG. 7

COFFEE AND CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR CITY MANAGER

When: 9-10 a.m.

Where: IMBing Lounge, 2 Concorde Lane, Palm Coast

Details: The City of Palm Coast invites residents to grab a cup of coffee with City Manager Mike McGlothlin. Ask questions, share ideas, and discuss what matters most to you. Free event. Registration required. Visitparksandrec.fun.

FIRST FRIDAY GARDEN

WALK

When: 10-11 a.m.

Where: Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, 6400 N. Oceanshore Blvd., Palm Coast

Details: Join a ranger the First Friday of every month for a garden walk. Learn about the history of Washington Oaks while exploring the gardens. Walk is approximately one hour. No registration required. Park entry fee applies.

FREE FAMILY ART NIGHT: FAUVISM STYLE PET

PORTRAITS

When: 5:30-7 p.m.

Where: Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens, 78 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach

Details: Drop in for a free family art project activity. Create

a mixed media gnome and fairy house. All instruction and supplies are provided. No registration or art experience is necessary. All ages welcome.

FLAGLER BEACH FIRST FRIDAY

When: 6-9 p.m.

Where: Veterans Park, 105 S. 2nd St., Flagler Beach Details: Enjoy community, music and vendors. Free.

HALIFAX REPERTORY THEATRE PRESENTS

‘HADESTOWN: TEEN EDITION’

When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 7 and 8; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9

Where: Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center, 399 N. U.S. 1, Ormond Beach Details: See story on the right.

SATURDAY, AUG. 8

SECOND SATURDAY PLANT SALE

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

Where: Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, 6400 N. Oceanshore Blvd., Palm Coast

Details: Join the Friends of Washington Oaks for a plant sale. Free with paid park admission. Please bring cash.

ANNUAL STUFF THE BUS DONATION DRIVE

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 8 and 9

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

Details: Tanger Outlets

Daytona Beach is kicking off back-to-school season with its annual donation drive. Donate school supplies, clothing, shoes and backpacks to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Volusia-Flagler Counties, with the first 50 donors each day receiving a free backpack.

FOODS THAT BUILT

AMERICA — LUNCHBOXES

When: 2 p.m.

Where: Ormond Beach

Regional Public Library, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach

Details: Learn about the

history of lunchboxes in this cooking demonstration presented by library staff. Free program.

BACK TO ‘96: ORMOND MAINSTREET 30TH

ANNIVERSARY PARTY

When: 5-8 p.m.

Where: Cassen Park, 1 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach; and Bailey Riverbridge Gardens, 1 N. Beach St., Ormond Beach

Details: Join Ormond Main-

Street for a free 90s-themed block party to celebrate three decades of community, commerce and culture. There will be music, food and drinks, family-friendly activities, photo opportunities and more. RSVP on Facebook.

AMERICA 250: A LINCOLN DAY DINNER

When: 5:30 p.m.

Where: Flagler County Nexus Center, 2199 Commerce Parkway, Bunnell Details: The Flagler County Republican Executive Committee presents this event celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Tickets cost $150. Visit www.flaglergop.com.

THE RISE OF BURLESQUE

When: 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

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

Details: See story on the right.

SUNDAY, AUG. 9

ST. JOE PLAZA BACK-TOSCHOOL BLOCK PARTY

When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: St. Joe Plaza, 223

Saint Joe Plaza Drive, Palm

Coast

Details: Give back to the community at this block party celebrating the back-to-school season. Hosted by 1 Village Foundation in partnership with Toney’s Barbershop and Scoops & Subs. There will be free backpacks and school supplies, a bounce house, a DJ, free haircuts from 2-4 p.m. and 50 free 1-scoop ice cream treats. Donations welcome.

MONDAY, AUG. 10

GALLERY TALK WITH IZZY

LOSSKARN

When: 11 a.m. to noon

Where: Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens, 78 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach

Details: Join exhibiting artist Izzy Losskarn for an in-depth talk and Q&A; session about her work currently on display in “The World We make” exhibition. Registration is requested. Free admission.

TUESDAY, AUG. 11

‘BANANA SPLITS’ PASTEL WORKSHOP

When: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Where: Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens, 78 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach

Details: Exhibiting pastel artist Izzy Losskarn will lead this workshop where students will construct a banana split still-life and be guided through the process of making a colorful, realistic pastel painting from their creation. All skill levels welcome. Costs $60 for museum members; $70 for non-members. Register at www.ormondartmuseum.org/ classes-programs.

SPICE LAB — CHIPOTLE PEPPERS

When: 11 a.m.

Where: Ormond Beach

Regional Public Library, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach

Details: Learn about chipotle peppers and their uses in this cooking demonstration presented by library staff. Free program.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 12

AARP MEETING, ORMOND CHAPTER 1057

When: 10 a.m.

Where: Unitarian Universalist Church, 56 N. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach

Details: This month’s guest speaker is Roy Young, executive director of Halifax Urban Ministries. An optional $5 lunch to follow. For more information, call Jeff Boyle at 386-341-9013.

YOUR TOWN

Halifax Repertory Theatre presents ‘Hadestown: Teen Edition’ at PAC

The Halifax Repertory Theatre’s production of “Hadestown: Teen Edition” opened on Friday, July 31, at the Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center, 399 N. U.S. 1, Ormond Beach. It will continue with Friday, Saturday and Sunday performances through Aug. 9.

The production features an all-teen cast of 24 performers accompanied by an orchestra of mostly teen musicians.

“Hadestown,” an acclaimed Broadway musical by Anais Mitchell, won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The play intertwines the ancient Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone into a story of love, sacrifice, hope and resilience set to a score inspired by American folk, jazz and blues music.

This fall, HRT will launch the Halifax Repertory Theatre Arts Academy, providing performing arts training for middle and high school students.

Performances of “Hadestown: Teen Edition” are scheduled for July 31-Aug. 2 and Aug. 7-9 with Friday and

Saturday showings at 7 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. For tickets, call 386-6100600, or visit ormondbeachperformingartscenter.csstix. com. $25/$35.

‘Rise of Burlesque’ takes stage Aug. 8 at Anderson-Price

Bootleggers Entertainment will present a stage show on Saturday, Aug. 8, highlighting the origin and evolution of burlesque in the historic Anderson-Price Memorial Building, 42 N. Beach St., Ormond Beach.

According to a press release, the show, “The Rise of Burlesque: A Cocktail Experience,” follows the dance style from its beginnings in 1830s London all the way to its global reach in the 21st century. An immersive experience, the show features tasteful burlesque on stage and among the audience. In addition to live burlesque, the show also utilizes vintage photos and video clips to showcase many of the women who brought burlesque to prominence over the years. General admission tickets are $48. Three cocktails, paired with a different era in burlesque history are included with each ticket. (alcohol-free alternatives are available). 21 or older. Tickets at theriseofburlesque2026. eventbrite.com

Rise of Burlesque cast members Rebecca Gillespie and Mary Stolpmann. Courtesy photo

YOUR SCHOOLS

Teen entrepreneur launches journal business, at Seabreeze High School

SYDNEY TEVIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When Jasmine Bozorgmanesh would go back-to-school shopping before another school year, she saw the same thing over and over again: notebooks that ripped easily, uncomfortable spiral bindings and designs that didn’t feel practical. Instead of settling for products she didn’t enjoy using, the Seabreeze High School student decided to create something better. That idea became Notoble, a student-focused notebook company inspired by the quality and innovation of Japanese stationery.

Bozorgmanesh, now 16, said her love for Japanese stationery began in middle school. However, she found that many Japanese notebooks were too small or didn’t meet the paper requirements needed for American classrooms.

“I loved Japanese stationery, but I still had to use American notebooks for school,” Bozorgmanesh said. “The options just weren’t what students deserved for something they use every day.”

Rather than accepting the limitations, she combined the best features of Japanese stationery brands with American standardized products to design a notebook built specifically for American students.

Her notebooks feature durable covers, high-quality paper and a soft, cushioned

binding that makes writing more comfortable.

“I wanted to make something that would actually last the whole school year and make studying easier,” she

said. Although she had the idea for years, Bozorgmanesh began seriously pursuing the business during her sophomore year of high school at

age 15. Before producing her first notebook, she surveyed students online, conducted interviews and collected feedback to better understand what they wanted in a school

notebook.

She then spent months contacting manufacturers across China, Japan and other countries until she found one willing to create the highly customized product she envisioned.

To fund production, Bozorgmanesh launched a Kickstarter campaign shortly after turning 16. The crowdfunding campaign allowed customers to preorder notebooks, providing the funding needed for the first manufacturing run.

After months of preparation, the student finally launched her business and took action.

“It was mostly relief,” she said. “It took so long to get there. I was proud to finally show people what I had created.”

Her entrepreneurial journey also inspired her to bring business education to Seabreeze High School. Recognizing there were few opportunities for students interested in entrepreneurship, she founded the school’s chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America and now serves as its president.

“I knew I wanted to build a business, and I wanted other students to have the opportunity to learn about business, too,” Bozorgmanesh said. “There really wasn’t anything like that at Seabreeze.”

Starting the organization proved to be another major undertaking. Without a business academy or career-technical education program dedicated to entrepreneurship, Bozorgmanesh worked closely with chemistry teacher Riham Picione, to establish the chapter from the ground up.

“There were so many logistics, paperwork and rules,” she said. “I spent almost every lunch working on the club instead of eating because there was always something that needed to be done.” Bozorgmanesh later used Notoble as the focus of her FBLA sales presentation competition, which brought her to state level where she placed fifth after competing against students from across Florida. Beyond competitions, Notoble has continued to grow.

Since officially launching online in December, the business has generated approximately $6,000 to $7,000 in revenue, with sales increasing as the back-to-school season begins.

One of the company’s biggest milestones came after Bozorgmanesh donated notebooks through Volusia County Schools’ teacher initiatives. The donation eventually led to a district wholesale order of approximately 150 notebooks distributed to teachers and volunteers.

She also sells her notebooks locally through the Ormond Collective, giving customers a way to purchase them without paying expensive shipping costs.

“My goal was always to make something students actually enjoy using,” she said. “The little details really matter.”

As she prepares to launch an updated website and continue expanding her business, Bozorgmanesh is proving that one student’s classroom frustration can become an opportunity to improve the everyday school experience for others.

ISLAND VIBES. BOAT DRINKS. SONGS YOU KNOW BY HEART.

Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach is going full tropical takeover. Join the “Lost Shaker Scavenger Hunt”, make waves at Saturday’s pool party, and rock out with The Caribbean Chillers: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett.

Break out the Hawaiian shirts, outrageous hats and island attitude for our Parrot Head Costume Contest, featuring a celebrity judge. Your best Jimmy Buffett concert style could score you some seriously rockin’ prizes.

Notoble is a studentfocused notebook company inspired by Japanese stationery.

Jasmine Bozorgmanesh. Photo by Sydney Tevin

REAL ESTATE

Seaside Landings home

house at 239 Seaside Landings Drive South, in Seaside Landings, was the top real estate transaction for July 18-24 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. The house sold on July 24, for $4,850,000. Built in 2023, the house is a 5/6.5 and has a pool, a hot tub, 2 fireplaces, a dock, a boat house, a boat lift, an outdoor kitchen and 6,201 square feet. The house was listed by Bill Navarra, of Realty Pros Assured.

ALEXIS MILLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Condos

A condo at 11 Avenue De La Mer, Unit 1101, sold on July 23, for $837,500. Built in 1991, the condo is a 3/3 and has 2,161 square feet. It sold in 2023 for $799,000.

A condo at 95 Rivers Edge Lane, Unit 95, sold on July 24, for $205,000. Built in 1989, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,020 square feet. It sold in 2004 for $208,000.

A condo at 101 Palm Harbor Parkway, Unit C-420, sold on July 23, for $163,000. Built in 2005, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,118 square feet. It sold in 2013 for $59,000.

A condo at 35 Casa Bella Circle, Unit 1201, sold on July 21, for $525,000. Built in 2005, the house is a 3/2.5 and has 2,014 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $649,000.

A condo at 115 Riverview Bend South, Unit 2133, sold

on July 21, for $320,000. Built in 2006, the condo is a 3/2 and has 1,575 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $245,000.

A condo at 1200 Canopy Walk Lane, Unit 1233, sold on July 20, for $212,000. Built in 2004, the condo is a 2/2 and has 1,238 square feet. It sold in 2010 for $109,500.

PALM COAST Grand Landings

A house at 124 Wood Stork Lane, sold on July 24, for $475,000. Built in 2022, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,763 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $369,900.

Indian Trails A house at 16 Bayside Drive, sold on July 24, for $475,000. Built in 1997, the house is a

3/2.5 and has a pool, a hot tub, a dock and 2,365 square feet.

A house at 122 Belleaire Drive, sold on July 24, for $340,000. Built in 1996, the house is a 4/2.5 and has a dock and 2,357 square feet. It sold in 1996 for $17,000.

Lehigh Woods A house at 11 Royal Tern Lane, sold on July 23, for $435,000. Built in 2006, the house is a 3/3 and has a pool and 2,164 square feet. It sold in 2010 for $122,500.

A house at 15 Royale Lane, sold on July 21, for $300,850. Built in 2005, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,783 square feet. It sold in 2012 for $157,000.

Seminole Woods A house at 30 Sergeant Court, sold on July 23, for

Halifax Plantation pool home is top sale

Ahouse in Halifax Plantation at 1512 Kilrush Drive was the top real estate transaction in Ormond Beach and Ormond-by-the-Sea for the week of July 11-17. The house sold on July 15, for $675,000. Built in 2003, the house is a 3/3 and has a pool, an outdoor kitchen and 2,620 square feet. It last sold in 2011 for $350,000. The house was listed by Melody Travers, of Watson Realty Corp.

JARLEENE ALMENAS

MANAGING EDITOR

Condos

The condo at 1 John Anderson Drive, Unit 607, sold on July 16, for $449,900. Built in 1996, the condo is a 2/2.5 and has 1,745 square feet. It last sold in 2025 for $442,500.

ORMOND BEACH

Ann Rustin Estates

The house at 947 N. Halifax Drive sold on July 15, for

$649,900. Built in 1965, the house is a 3/2 ad has a fireplace and 1,982 square feet. It last sold in 2025 for $300,000.

Forest Hills

The house at 284 Military Blvd. sold on July 14, for $370,000. Built in 1961, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace, a pool and 1,631 square feet. It last sold in 2022 for $215,000.

Hunter’s Ridge

The house at 50 Westland Run SW sold on July 16, for $383,395. Built in 2012, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,839 square feet. It last sold in 2015 for $215,000.

The house at 32 Meadow Ridge View sold on July 16,

for $375,000. Built in 1996, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,959 square feet.

Not in subdivision

The house at 3 Larisa Terrace sold on July 16, for $405,000. Built in 1978, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,752 square feet. It last sold in 2012 for $175,000.

Rima Ridge Ranchettes

The house at 158 Cone Road sold on July 15, for $664,000. Built in 1987, the house is a 3/2.5 and has a fireplace, a pool and 2,142 square feet.

Sherris The house at 599 Andrews St. sold on July 14, for $465,000. Built in 1986, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace, a pool and 1,815 square feet. It last sold in 2023 for $436,900.

The Trails The townhome at 58 Cherokee Trail sold on July 13, for $235,000. Built in 1981, the townhome is a 2/2 and has a fireplace and 1,439 square feet. It last sold in 2015 for $123,000.

Twin River Estates

The house at 18 Twin River Drive sold on July 13, for

$470,000. Built in 1970, the house is a 3/3 and has a pool and 2,561 square feet. It last sold in 2010 for $166,000.

Woodland

The house at 20 Woodlands Circle sold on July 13, for $279,800. Built in 1979, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,551 square feet. It last sold in 2025 for $100,000.

ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA

Knollwood Beach

The house at 40 Sandra Drive sold on July 13, for $489,000. Built in 1976, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,631 square feet. It last sold in 2023 for $532,000.

Ormond Oceanside

Estates

The house at 22 Sunny Beach Drive sold on July 13, for $600,000. Built in 2016, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,886 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $594,000.

Ormond Ocean Gardens

The house at 39 Carol Road sold on July 16, for $325,000. Built in 1961, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,092 square feet. It last sold in February 2026 for $234,000.

Seabridge

The house at 39 Sea Island Drive N. sold on July 13, for $457,750. Built in 1980, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace, a pool and 1,502 square feet. It last sold in 1995 for $99,000.

The house at 39 Sea Harbor Drive E. sold on July 14, for $552,500. Built in 1979, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,684 square feet. It last sold in May 2026 for $315,000.

Sunny Shores

The house at 11 Tropical Drive sold on July 14, for $362,400. Built in 1956, the house is a 2/1 and has a pool and 970 square feet. It last sold in 2011 for $66,900.

BIZ BUZZ

AdventHealth hospitals earn top rankings for Volusia and Flagler counties

For patients and families comparing care options, the U.S. News & World Report’s latestBest Hospitalsrankings offer one more way to compare hospitals on quality and experience. For the sixth consecutive year, AdventHealth Daytona Beach earned the No. 1 spot in the Deltona-Daytona Beach metro area.

AdventHealth Fish Memorial and AdventHealth Palm Coast ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the Deltona-Daytona Beach metro area, respectively for the second year in a row.

AdventHealth Orlando also remained No. 1 in Central Florida for the 16th straight year, and AdventHealth Waterman ranked No. 3 in the Orlando metro area for the second year in a row.

U.S. News evaluates nearly 4,500 hospitals using measures such as outcomes, preventable complications, and patient experience. The rankings are based on performance. Across the East Florida Division, AdventHealth’s eight

WEST DAYTONA BEACH

A house in Preserve at LPGA at 3208 Legends Preserve Drive was the top real estate transaction in Daytona Beach’s 32124 zip code for the week of July 11-17. The house sold on July 14, for $615,000. Built in 2024, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,830 square feet. It last sold in 2024 for $560,000. It was listed by Amanda Lobb, of RE/MAX Signature.

Bayberry Lakes

The house at 261 Bayberry Lakes Blvd. sold on July 15, for $317,000. Built in 2007, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,602 square feet. It last sold in 2007 for $170,000.

Grande Champion

The house at 133 Prestwick Grande Drive sold on July 15, for $330,000. Built in 2013, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,714 square feet. It last sold in 2013 for $174,500.

Latitude Margaritaville

The townhome at 452 Lost Shaker Way sold on July 15, for $468,000. Built in 2020, the townhome is a 3/2 and has 1,563 square feet. It last sold in 2020 for $333,900.

The house at 1082 Castaway Court sold on July 16, for $485,000. Built in 2020, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,681 square feet. It last sold in 2020 for $363,300.

The townhome at 234 Summertime Place sold on

July 17, for $537,900. Built in 2018, the townhome is a 2/2 and has 1,778 square feet. It last sold in 2025 for $552,000.

The house at 223 Ocean Hammock Loop sold on July 17, for $409,000. Built in 2022, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,464 square feet. It last sold in 2022 for $320,200.

The house at 521 Margaritaville Ave. sold on July 17, for $360,000. Built in 2021, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,308 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $253,100.

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

hospitals received a total of 53 High Performing ratings. Those recognitions include conditions and procedures in cardiac, orthopedic and cancer care.

The East Florida Division includes eight hospitals in Flagler, Lake, Marion, and Volusia counties, as well as over 75 locations and more than 11,000 team members and physicians.

U.S. News evaluated nearly 4,500 hospitals across 14 adult specialties and 23 procedures and conditions. This year, 16% of evaluated hospitals earned a Best Hospitals designation. Send business news to brent@observerlocalnews. com.

AdventHealth Daytona Beach. Courtesy Photos

YACHT HARBOR

BUSINESS

Mr. Dunderbak’s is back: Bavarian restaurant moves to Beach Street

The old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Bavarian restaurant Mr. Dunderbak’s has turned that conventional wisdom on its head. Coowner Matt Martin says even though the restaurant had a big following, it was time to find a new location.

Martin and his father, Doug, have owned the restaurant since April 2023

For 50 years the restaurant was located in the Volusia Mall where it became a hot spot for locals looking for German cuisine and a hefty selection of German beer. The Martins closed down the Volusia Mall location on May 30.

“We spent over a year working on this new place,” Martin said. “The rent is half what it was at the mall, and sales are projected to be twice what it was at the mall.”

The new location has been open for nearly a month, and customers have been coming out in large numbers.

“This has rivaled our best days at the mall almost every day,” Martin said. The new location hasn’t

changed the original Mr. Dunderbak’s experience, according to the customers.

“It’s almost like everyone knows everyone else,” said JJ Machuga, frequent customer. “It’s always a vibe. That’s what makes a great place a great place.”

The vibe includes lots of energy, but not TV.

“It’s very loud in here right now, because people are talking with each other,” Martin said. “People who didn’t come here together are intermingling. I really just wanted to make this a second home for everyone.”

Martin puts trivia cards and games at the tables to help patrons get conversations started.

“Anytime I can create an

alternative to looking at your phone or looking at a TV, I want that,” Martin said. “It feels really wholesome.”

Mr. Dunderbak’s is known for that wholesomeness, the German cuisine, cold cut sandwiches, potato pancakes, and beer tastings of unique drafts from multiple countries.

“It’s like our second home. They’re like family,” customer Shelba Farmer said. “The people, the food, the beer tastings. It’s just fun.”

Mr. Dunderbak’s is located at 116 N. Beach St., in Daytona Beach. Soft opening hours are Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday noon to 6. Visit www. mrdunderbaks.com.

Planning Print Ads – U.S. & Canada

BIZ BUZZ

When you plan ahead, you can make your final wishes known and provide your loved ones with true peace of mind.

NOTE: If at any time you would like to change your ad message, click the “Reset Template" link on the left to clear your selections and start over.

Security First interns organize project for Florida Giving Gardens

It's simple to customize this ad for your location.

1. Click "Change Document Name" at the top of the page and update to include size, date and abbreviated publication name.

2. Ensure you've selected the correct location(s).

Fifteen paid college interns representing universities across Florida, Georgia, New York and North Carolina, spent their summer at Security First Insurance in Ormond Beach gaining professional experience and helping grow a stronger community.

3. Double-click “Select Ad Message" on the left, below the "Reset Template" link, to access the customization panel.

4. In the pop-out box, select your message from the options at the top of the page.

5. Select your language from the drop-down menu and click “Apply."

The interns planned and led a company-wide service project benefiting Florida Giving Gardens, a Daytona State College student-led nonprofit that aims to ensure access to healthy, fresh food for neighbors in need in Volusia County.

6. Click "Preview" to review your ad before downloading or saving.

Finishing Your Ad:

The interns organized a friendly competition among

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the company’s four office floors, encouraging employees to donate gardening supplies. Employees contributed 433 donated items with an estimated value of $2,270, including 320 packs of seeds, 400 quarts of potting soil and two raised garden beds that will become part of Florida Giving Gardens’ ongoing renovation of its community garden at the Port Orange Recreation Center. The donated supplies will also support gardens at First Step Shelter, Hope Place Family Shelter and the Domestic Abuse Council. Together, the four gardens provide fresh produce to an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people each year. “One of the most valuable lessons we can teach future leaders is that success isn’t measured about what you achieve professionally. It’s also about the impact you have on your community,” said Melissa Burt DeVriese, president of Security First Insurance. “Our interns chose a cause that addresses a real need close to home, then inspired hundreds of employees to help make a difference. That’s leadership in action.”

OR, click “Save" to continue working later. Your ad will appear in My

Co-Owner Doug Martin, far right, enjoys the Mr. Dunderbak’s vibe with friends at the bar. Photos by Rachel Mills

Mike and Pattie Winchester are all smiles at Mr. Dunderbak’s.

Mr. Dunderbak’s server Dana Boothe holds a tray of sandwiches for her customers.

Gardens. Courtesy photo

SPORTS

Still going strong

Vince Carter Youth Basketball Academy highlights 29 years of family and friendships.

MICHELE MEYERS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

NBA legend Vince Carter stood in the lobby of the Vince Carter Athletic Center at Mainland High School on Tuesday, July 28. It was the second day of his youth basketball academy, which meant media day.

He conversed comfortably with local reporters and photographers, as he has done so throughout his storied 22-season NBA career — a journey that began as a first-round draft pick with a draft-day trade to the Toronto Raptors, was preceded by three epic seasons as a shooting guard for the University of North Carolina, and Mainland’s celebrated 34-2 season and its state championship victory over Fort Lauderdale Dillard in 1995.

“Once I started getting a little notoriety, a little opportunity, I wanted to make sure to ride the wave of notoriety, but I wanted to also bring that back here for other guys and bring opportunities for them, so they get looks at college,” Carter said. “That’s just how it started. And here we are … still doing the same thing. I enjoy doing this.”

The Vince Carter Youth

Basketball Academy has paralleled Carter’s success as a basketball player for 29 years. There was only a two-year break in the summers of 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carter’s high school basketball coach, Charles Brinkerhoff, started the basketball camp the summer Carter headed to the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

It was the Charles Brinkerhoff Basketball Academy starring Vince Carter for two years before Brinkerhoff handed it off to Carter.

“We started (the academy) through Coach Brinkerhoff,” Carter said. “Brink was one of those guys who was willing to do anything for me. We built the bond probably my freshman year when he was an assistant coach, and then sophomore year he took over, and we just spent a lot of time in the gym, having a lot of conversations.”

When he got his first coaching job at Mainland, Brinkerhoff said he was fortunate that a young guy named Vince Carter had walked through the doors.

“It was a confluence,” Brinkerhoff said. “It was a perfect, perfect storm. There were so many similarities. His mom was a teacher. I’m a teacher. We have similar faith backgrounds. We had similar philosophies. We just clicked.”

This year, Brinkerhoff coached the 14-year-olds and continues to be the academy

“Once I started getting a little notoriety, a little opportunity, I wanted to make sure to ride the wave of notoriety, but I wanted to also bring that back here for other guys and bring opportunities for them ... That’s just how it started. And here we are … still doing the same thing. I enjoy doing this.”

VINCE CARTER

historian.

“I bring the history (to the academy) and try not to overdo it,” he said. “I want the kids to know Joe [Giddens] and Vince were once like them. We want them to have some connection to what we did. It’s a little ‘Buc Pride Never Dies’ rah, rah.”

A contributing factor to the longevity of the camp is the enduring relationships that have been established between family and friends throughout the years, Brinkerhoff said.

“When you become Vince Carter, you don’t know who to trust,” he said. “He knows he can trust us. He knows at the end of the day, we’re not going to try to profit from him. We’re not going to try to sell his autograph. He knows we are true, and he knows that our relationship is not transactional.”

Giddens and Carter went to South Daytona Elementary, Campbell Middle School, and then Mainland together. Giddens’ mom worked at the Nova Community Center, and he remembers going to the Carters’ house for dinner a few times.

“I’ll never forget going to his house, eating there, and his mom and dad treating me like I was their own son,” Giddens said.

Mainland had a freshman, junior varsity, and varsity basketball teams when Giddens started high school. He started on JV his freshman year. His sophomore year, he was on the varsity team and was not supposed to start.

“There was going to be a senior to start over me, and this senior missed the first game,” Giddens said. “With him missing the first game, Vince went to Coach Brink and said, ‘Hey, I need Joe on the court with me because we’ve got chemistry,’ and the rest is history. I have been starting ever since then.”

That was the year before they won the state championship together.

In 1998, Carter was just beginning his professional basketball career with the Toronto Raptors and uncertain about its trajectory. He convinced his mother, Dr. Michelle Carter, to retire from teaching secondary and higher education to oversee his business affairs, allowing him to focus on his career.

At the time, he was also interested in starting a business that would benefit young children. His initial thought was to open a nursery school. Michelle said taking on the responsibilities as her son’s business manager would require her to run the nursery, and she was not comfortable taking on such a daunting task.

“I suggested that possibly starting a non-profit organization that would focus on the needs of parents and their children might be a better fit,” she said. “Vince agreed. Thus, the Embassy of Hope (a Vince Carter Foundation) was born.”

Embassy of Hope is a charity organization focusing on assisting families in need and helping children reach their potential. The foundation’s slogan, “Believing in Your Dreams,” represents Carter’s lifelong commitment to perseverance and achievement, according to the website.

Carter said he wants the foundation to remain consistent and relevant. Currently, proceeds from the Embassy of Hope Gala support the “Believing in Your Dreams” Scholarship Fund and community outreach.

“I started the foundation, and that’s something that’s been near and dear to me because we get the opportunity to do this,” he said. “I want to help, but I want to educate and help people learn how to continue to get better, how to grow. I don’t want to always say, ‘Here you go, here you go’ without the teaching, guidance, and coaching that comes with it.”

Michelle grew up in Miami, where her father was a banker, and her mother was an elementary school teacher. She noticed that her parents were always helping others.

“As youngsters, Vince and his brother, Christopher, would help out their friends

that didn’t have jackets, shoes, notebooks, even rides home after school or community events,” she said. “I suppose helping comes naturally for this family. I feel that it is my purpose in life.”

When the Embassy of Hope Foundation was started, all of the advisory board members had a direct tie to Vince, Michelle said. His high school principal, the late Tim Huth, seventh-grade language arts teacher Ann Smith, and Brinkerhoff were a few of the founding board members.

Giddens has been coaching at his academy since its inception. He said Michelle has always taught Carter to give back to the community and that the little details make a difference.

“Basketball has kept me going on the right path,” Giddens said. “It’s shown me how to become a man, how to become a leader. That’s what Vince and his mom are trying to instill in the kids now, because what this camp is about is not just basketball, but what happens when the ball stops bouncing.”

Carter and Giddens stay in touch on a regular basis.

Giddens frequently drives to Orlando to watch his friend’s son Vince Carter Jr. play in sporting events.

“I’ve been able to go to the Hall of Fame,” Giddens said.

“I’ve been able to go to his jersey retirement in Toronto, when they raised his jersey in Brooklyn, and all that stuff. To me, it’s amazing to have your high school teammate, childhood friend do that. But if he wasn’t who he was, I still would be his right-hand man, no matter what.”

Best of friends: Mainland head basketball coach Joe Giddens and NBA legend Vince Carter.

Seven-year-olds Vivica Baldwin (left) and Ella Thomlinson said they like basketball because it is fun .

Players run drills at the Vince Carter Youth Basketball Academy.

Players battle under the basket during the Vince Carter Youth Basketball Academy on Tuesday, July 28. Photos by Michele Meyers

Ormond Beach Soccer Club joins high-level ECNL with youngest teams

The boys U11 and U12 teams will play in PreECNL this season with older teams joining ECNL in the future.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The Ormond Beach Soccer Club is taking its first step toward joining the Elite Club National League (ECNL), one of the premier competitive club soccer organizations in the country.

“In my opinion the ECNL is the highest level of youth soccer in the nation,” said Dylan Reed, Ormond Beach Soccer Club’s director.

The Ormond Beach club has been accepted for this season in the pre-ECNL age groups of boys U11 and U12. This sets the

stage for the older age groups to join ECNL regional leagues. This is the first time a Volusia or Flagler youth soccer club has had the chance to compete on this level, Reed said. “It opens up doors for players in the area that we haven’t ever had before,” he said. “So, it’s a pretty big step for us.”

The Ormond Beach Soccer Club has been around since 1979. It used to primarily be a feeder program for Seabreeze High School, but it has expanded over the years. Now, it has 395 players on 30 competitive teams for boys and girls U8 to U18, a junior academy program for players age 5-7 and recreational leagues with 500 to 600 players participating each season. The club hosts two recreational seasons a year.

The high school age competitive teams have players from high schools through -

out east Volusia and Flagler County. The club currently belongs to four leagues. The U13 boys team competed in the National Premier League’s national finals in Denver, Colorado, last month.

The Ormond Beach Soccer Club’s goal is to join the ECNL’s regional leagues as a club, Reed said. Through that, clubs can be promoted into the ECNL national league, based on ranking, results and other prerequisites, he said.

Currently, Volusia and Flagler soccer players have to join clubs in Jacksonville or Central Florida to play in the ECNL.

“It’s a monumental step for kids to play in these leagues without having to drive over an hour,” Reed said. “We’re just super excited to offer the opportunities this year and going into future seasons for youth players in this area.”

SIDELINES

Seabreeze boys win 7v7 soccer league title

Seabreeze won the boys championship in the High School 7v7 Summer Soccer League at Indian Trails Sports Complex. The Seabreeze team defeated Pedro Menendez 11-6 on July 31 at the Indian Trails Sports Complex to finish the season with a perfect record. Flagler Palm Coast’s Palms 2 team, coached by Stephen Usina, placed second. Menendez won the girls A-team title over FPC’s “Troublemakers’’ on a tiebreaker based on goal differential.

“Knuckleheads,” coached by Cat Bradley, won the B-team title. The team included 12 incoming freshmen.

Nya Williams hits PR lift

FPC state champion weightlifter Nya Williams set a personal record lift of 220 pounds in the clean and jerk at the Flagler Open AAU meet on Aug. 1 in FPC’s 100 gym.

Cody Clymer transfers to Lake Sumter

Former FPC baseball player Cody Clymer has announced he is transferring from

Hillsborough Community College to Sumter State College for his final junior college baseball season.

Big Buoys win league championship

The Palm Coast Big Buoys won the Orange State League championship on July 28 at the Indian Trails Sports Complex with a dramatic 7-5, 10-inning victory over the St. Augustine Sardines.

Matanzas High senior PJ Trettner hit a two-out, tworun home run in the top of the 10th inning and Owen McKinley pitched a scoreless bottom of the 10th to get the victory.

McKinley, a former Father Lopez player who pitches for New College of Florida,

allowed one hit and one earned run over five innings.

Flagler Palm Coast grad Josh Fallon pitched the first five innings for the Big Buoys allowing two runs on six hits.

Broc Parmer also hit a home run in the game.

Parmer is a former player at Pace High School, Gulf

Coast State College and the University of Texas San Antonio. FPC grad Logan Shudy of Lesley University drove in three runs, including a two-run double to right in the sixth inning.

The Orange State League is a first-year collegiate wood bat baseball league. The

Big Buoys were managed by James Timmons with Matanzas baseball coach

Sean McManus serving as assistant coach.

Luke Clayton, Alejandro Mafara and Conor Gould are among 395 competitive team players in the Ormond Beach Soccer Club. Photo by Brent Woronoff

Seabreeze won the High School 7v7 Summer Soccer League boys championship at the Indian Trails Sports Complex. Courtesy photo by Elaini Harrell.

Advice for what matters most, when

Lucas D. Haber, CFP ®, CEPA® Managing Director Senior Resident Director lucas_d_haber@ml.com

Congratulations to Lucas D. Haber for being named to the Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” 2026 list. Published on April 7, 2026. Rankings based on data as of June 30, 2025.

Haber & Associates Wealth Management Group

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management 1616 Concierge Boulevard Suite #201 Daytona Beach, FL 32117

386.274.3033 fa.ml.com/haberassociates

Telephone: (386) 252-2531

Fax: (386) 868-5371

E-Mail: shelley@legacylaw313.com Secondary E-Mail: linda@legacylaw313.com August 6, 13, 2026 26-00575I

INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2026 10864 PRDL DIVISION: 10 IN RE: ESTATE OF SHIRLEY R. HINKLE, Deceased. The administration of the estate of SHIRLEY R. HINKLE, deceased, whose date of death was February 12, 2026, is pending in the Circuit Court for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Post Office Box 6043, Deland, FL 32721. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent’s death by the decedent or the decedent’s surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is August 6, 2026. /s/ Sherry A. Arthur-Holmes Sherry A. Arthur-Holmes, Personal Rep. 116 Timberline Trail Ormond Beach, FL 32174 /s/ Fred B. Share FRED B. SHARE, ESQUIRE Florida Bar No. 256765 1092 Ridgewood Avenue Holly Hill, FL 32117

Telephone: (386) 253-1030 Fax: (386) 248-2425 E-Mail: Fred@FredBShare.com

2nd E-Mail: Beth@FredBShare.com

Attorney for Personal Representative August 6, 13, 2026 26-00567I

TIME Email your Legal Notice legal@palmcoastobserver.com legal@observerlocalnews.com

NOTICE TO CREDITORS (Summary Administration) IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2026 10629 PRDL DIVISION: 10 IN RE: ESTATE OF ANTHONY RHODES, Deceased. TO ALL PERSONS HAVING CLAIMS OR DEMANDS AGAINST THE ABOVE ESTATE: You are hereby notified that an Order of Summary Administration has been entered in the estate of ANTHONY RHODES, deceased, by the Circuit Court for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Post Office Box 6043, DeLand, FL 32721; that the decedent’s date of death was December 4, 2025; that the total value of the estate is 371,698.45 ($361,659.00 exempt property) and that the names and addresses of those to whom it has been assigned by such order are: Name Address Leanna Booth 339 Lightness Drive Auburn, AL 36832 Robin Failla 1623 Selma Avenue Holly Hill, FL 32117 ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE NO -

TIFIED THAT: All creditors of the estate of the decedent and persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent other than those for whom provision for full payment was made in the Order of Summary Administration must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS

SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES

SECTION 733.702. ALL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER APPLICABLE TIME PERIOD, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECE-

DENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The petitioner has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent’s death by the decedent or the decedent’s surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in sections 732.216-732.288 Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under section 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. The date of first publication of this Notice is August 6, 2026. DocuSigned by: /s/ Leanna Booth Leanna Booth, Co-Petitioner 339 Lightness Drive Auburn, AL 36832 /s/ Robin Failla Robin Failla, Co-Petitioner 1623 Selma Avenue Holly Hill, FL 32117

/s/ Fred B. Share

FRED B. SHARE, ESQUIRE Florida Bar No. 256765 1092 Ridgewood Avenue Holly Hill, FL 32117

Telephone: (386) 253-1030

Fax: (386) 248-2425

E-Mail: Fred@FredBShare.com

2nd E-Mail: Beth@FredBShare.com Attorney for Petitioner

FIRST INSERTION

NOTICE OF RULEMAKING REGARDING THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE

ORMOND CROSSINGS CENTRAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

In accordance with Chapters 120 and 190, Florida Statutes, the Ormond Crossings Central Community Development District (“District”) (the “District”) hereby gives the public notice of its intent to adopt its proposed Rules of Procedure (the “Proposed Rule”). The Proposed Rule number is ROP-2026-1. Prior notice of rule development relative to the Proposed Rule was published in the Business Observer on July 30, 2026.

A public hearing will be conducted by the Board of Supervisors (the “Board”) District on September 10, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Hampton Inn Daytona/Ormond Beach, 155 Interchange Boulevard, Ormond Beach, Florida 32174 relative to the adoption of the Proposed Rule. Pursuant to Sections 190.011(5) and 190.012(3), Florida Statutes, the Proposed Rule will not require legislative ratification.

The summary of, purpose and effect of the Rules of Procedure is to provide for efficient and effective District operations and to ensure compliance with recent changes to Florida law. The specific grant of rulemaking authority for the adoption of the Proposed Rule includes Sections 190.011(5), 190.011(15) and 190.035, Florida Statutes. The specific laws implemented in the Proposed Rule include, but are not limited to, Sections 112.08, 112.3143, 112.31446, 112.3145, 119.07, 119.0701, 120.54, 120.542, 120.5435, 120.56, 120.69, 120.81, 189.053, 189.069, 190.006, 190.007, 190.008, 190.011, 190.033, 190.035, 218.33, 218.391, 255.05, 255.0518, 255.0525, 255.20, 286.0105, 286.011, 286.012, 286.0113, 286.0114, 287.017, 287.055, and 287.084, Florida Statutes

A statement of estimated regulatory costs, as defined in Section 120.541(2), Florida Statutes, has not been prepared relative to the Proposed Rule. Any person who wishes to provide the District with a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative as provided by Section 120.541(1), Florida Statutes, must do so in writing within twenty-one (21) days after publication of this notice to the District Manager’s Office.

For more information regarding the public hearing, the Proposed Rule, or for a copy of the Proposed Rule and the related incorporated documents, if any, please contact the District Manager c/o Wrathell, Hunt & Associates, LLC, 2300 Glades Road, Suite 410W, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 571-0010, kantarzhia@whhassociates.com (the “District Manager’s Office”).

This public hearing may be continued to a date, time, and place to be specified on the record at the hearing without additional notice. If anyone chooses to appeal any decision of the Board with respect to any matter considered at the public hearing, such person will need a record of the proceedings and should accordingly ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made which includes the testimony and evidence upon which such appeal is to be based. At the public hearing, staff or Supervisors may participate in the public hearing by speaker telephone.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations at this public hearing because of a disability or physical impairment should contact the District Manager’s Office at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the public hearing. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Florida Relay Service at 1-800-955-8771 or 1-800-955-8770 for aid in contacting the District Manager’s Office.

Andrew Kantarzhi, District Manager Ormond Crossings Central Community Development District August 6, 2026

FIRST INSERTION

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY GENERAL JURISDICTION DIVISION CASE NO. 2025 14060 CICI LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. SCOTT PATRICK GOMBER A/K/A SCOTT GOMBER, et al., Defendant. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Summary Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered July 08, 2026 in Civil Case No. 2025 14060 CICI of the Circuit Court of the SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT in and for Volusia County, Deland, Florida, wherein LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC is Plaintiff and Scott Patrick Gomber a/k/a Scott Gomber, et al., are Defendants, the Clerk of Court, LAURA E. ROTH, ESQ., will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash electronically at www.volusia. realforeclose.com in accordance with Chapter 45, Florida Statutes on the 26th day of August, 2026 at 11:00 AM on the following described property as set forth in said Summary Final Judgment, to-wit: LOT 26, CAMBRIDGE VILLAS SUBDIVISION, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 33, PAGE 175, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA. Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the lis pendens, must file a claim before the clerk reports the surplus as unclaimed. If you are a person with a disability who needs an accommodation in order to access court facilities or participate in a court proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. To request such an accommodation, please contact Court Administration in advance of the date the service is needed: Court Administration, 125 E. Orange Ave., Ste. 300, Daytona Beach, FL 32114; (386) 257-6096. Hearing or voice impaired, please call 1 (800) 955-8770. /s/Robyn Katz Robyn Katz, Esq. McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLP Attorney for Plaintiff 225 East Robinson Street, Suite 155 Orlando, FL 32801 Phone: (407) 674-1850 Fax: (321) 248-0420 Email: MRService@mccalla.com Fla. Bar No.: 146803 25-13768FL August 6, 13, 2026 26-00576I

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE OF RULEMAKING REGARDING THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE ORMOND CROSSINGS EAST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

In accordance with Chapters 120 and 190, Florida Statutes, the Ormond Crossings East Community Development District (“District”) (the “District”) hereby gives the public notice of its intent to adopt its proposed Rules of Procedure (the “Proposed Rule”). The Proposed Rule number is ROP-2026-1. Prior notice of rule development relative to the Proposed Rule was published in the Business Observer on July 30, 2026. A public hearing will be conducted by the Board of Supervisors (the “Board”) District on September 10, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Hampton Inn Daytona/Ormond Beach, 155 Interchange Boulevard, Ormond Beach, Florida 32174 relative to the adoption of the Proposed Rule. Pursuant to Sections 190.011(5) and 190.012(3), Florida Statutes, the Proposed Rule will not require legislative ratification.

The summary of, purpose and effect of the Rules of Procedure is to provide for efficient and effective District operations and to ensure compliance with recent changes to Florida law. The specific grant of rulemaking authority for the adoption of the Proposed Rule includes Sections 190.011(5), 190.011(15) and 190.035, Florida Statutes. The specific laws implemented in the Proposed Rule include, but are not limited to, Sections 112.08, 112.3143, 112.31446, 112.3145, 119.07, 119.0701, 120.54, 120.542, 120.5435, 120.56, 120.69, 120.81, 189.053, 189.069, 190.006, 190.007, 190.008, 190.011, 190.033, 190.035, 218.33, 218.391, 255.05, 255.0518, 255.0525, 255.20, 286.0105, 286.011, 286.012, 286.0113, 286.0114, 287.017, 287.055, and 287.084, Florida Statutes

A statement of estimated regulatory costs, as defined in Section 120.541(2), Florida Statutes, has not been prepared relative to the Proposed Rule. Any person who wishes to provide the District with a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative as provided by Section 120.541(1), Florida Statutes, must do so in writing within twenty-one (21) days after publication of this notice to the District Manager’s Office. For more information regarding the public hearing, the Proposed Rule, or for a copy of the Proposed Rule and the related incorporated documents, if any, please contact the District Manager c/o Wrathell, Hunt & Associates, LLC, 2300 Glades

26-00572I

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No.2026 11692 PRDL Division 10 IN RE: ESTATE OF DONNA KURDOCK, Deceased. The administration of the estate of DONNA KURDOCK, deceased, whose date of death was February 24, 2026, is pending in the Circuit Court for Volusia County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is P.O. Box 6043, DeLand, Florida 327216043. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served, must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIOD SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice

Rule”). The Proposed Rule number is ROP-2026-1. Prior notice of rule development relative to the Proposed Rule was published in the Business Observer on July 30, 2026. A public hearing will be conducted by the Board of Supervisors (the “Board”) District on September 10, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Hampton Inn Daytona/Ormond Beach, 155 Interchange Boulevard, Ormond Beach, Florida 32174 relative to the adoption of the Proposed Rule. Pursuant to Sections 190.011(5) and 190.012(3), Florida Statutes, the Proposed Rule will not require legislative ratification.

The summary of, purpose and effect of the revised Rules of Procedure is to provide for efficient and effective District operations and to ensure compliance with recent changes to Florida law. The specific grant of rulemaking authority for the adoption of the Proposed Rule includes Sections 190.011(5), 190.011(15) and 190.035, Florida Statutes. The specific laws implemented in the Proposed Rule include, but are not limited to, Sections 112.08, 112.3143, 112.31446, 112.3145, 119.07, 119.0701, 120.54, 120.542, 120.5435, 120.56, 120.69, 120.81, 189.053, 189.069, 190.006, 190.007, 190.008, 190.011, 190.033, 190.035, 218.33, 218.391, 255.05, 255.0518, 255.0525, 255.20, 286.0105, 286.011, 286.012, 286.0113, 286.0114, 287.017, 287.055, and 287.084, Florida Statutes

A statement of estimated regulatory costs, as defined in Section 120.541(2), Florida Statutes, has not been prepared relative to the Proposed Rule. Any person who wishes to provide the District with a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative as provided by Section 120.541(1), Florida Statutes, must do so in writing within twenty-one (21) days after publication of this notice to the District Manager’s Office.

For more information regarding the public hearing, the Proposed Rule, or for a copy of the Proposed Rule and the related incorporated documents, if any, please contact the District Manager c/o Wrathell, Hunt & Associates, LLC, 2300 Glades Road, Suite 410W, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 571-0010, kantarzhia@whhassociates.com (the “District Manager’s Office”).

This public hearing may be continued to a date, time, and place to be specified on the record at the hearing without additional notice. If anyone chooses to appeal any decision of the Board with respect to any matter considered at the public hearing, such person will need a record of the proceedings and should accordingly ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made which includes the testimony and evidence upon which such appeal is to be based. At the public hearing, staff or Supervisors may participate in the public hearing

described property as set forth in said Final Judgment of Foreclosure: LOT 54, BLOCK D, YAMASSEE ADDITION DELAND FLORIDA, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 9, PAGE 175, OF THE PUBLIC