Palm Coast Observer 11-06-25

Family and friends join Luciano Arce after he received the Ambassador of Peace medal at Flagler Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Photo by Brent Woronoff

NEWS BRIEFS

One dead, one injured after A1A crash in Ormondby-the-Sea

One person died and another is in critical condition after being ejected from their Jeep in a crash on A1A in Ormondby-the-Sea on Saturday, Nov. 1, Florida Highway Patrol reported.

At around 6:03 p.m., the victims — a 72-year-old man from Findlay, Ohio, and a 73-year-old Ormond Beach woman — were traveling northbound on A1A, approaching Sandpiper Ridge Drive, when a 63-year-old man in a Corvette attempted to pass their Jeep in a no passing zone. The front right side of the Corvette struck the Jeep’s rear left side, and both of the victims were ejected from their vehicle, FHP reported.

The Ohio man, who was driving the Jeep, was pro-

nounced dead at the scene. His Ormond Beach passenger was transported to the hospital in critical condition. The driver of the Corvette — Scott March, of Port Barrington, Illinois — was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. He was arrested on Monday, Nov. 3, for vehicular homicide.

VanDeusen named Flagler interim deputy fire chief

Flagler County Fire Rescue Chief Michael Tucker has named Battalion Chief Daniel VanDeusen as interim deputy chief, following the selection of former Deputy Chief Percy Sayles as the county’s deputy administrator.

“I have tremendous faith in Daniel VanDeusen and think he will do very well in this position,” Tucker said. “It is a lot of responsibility, but he already had a lot of responsibility and has capably managed and executed everything that has been asked of him.”

into the pool was not damaged, the report states. The HOA, however, seeks to press charges for the damaged fence pickets.

OCT. 8

OCT. 6

POOL VANDALS

12:39 p.m. — 2000 block of Airport Road, Ormond Beach

Vandalism. A local homeowners association community manager called police after two unidentified teenage boys threw 10-15 pool chairs into one of the community pools.

The teens engage in various acts of trespassing, disorderly conduct and vandalism, often entering the pool area by bending the aluminum fence pickets and squeezing inside, the report states. The patio furniture thrown

SCHEME TO DEFRAUD

10:14 a.m. — 100 block of Three Bears Trail, Ormond Beach Fraud. A 76-year-old Ormond Beach man was scammed out of $30,000 after he received a text message appearing to originate from his bank, instructing him to place the cash in boxes to be picked up. According to a police incident report, the victim received a text inquiring if he had made an $800 purchase at a big box store. The victim replied, “no,” at which point he

VanDeusen was hired in 2005 as a probationary firefighter EMT. He is the only member of Flagler County Fire Rescue to have climbed the ladder from the bottom rung to second in command.

“I am grateful for the faith Chief Tucker has in me to assist him in growing and improving Fire Rescue for the benefit of our residents,” VanDeusen said.

Tucker, who took the position of chief in 2021, quickly saw VanDeusen’s promise as a leader. He was one of two promoted that year — along with Barry Brady — from lieutenant to battalion chief out 10 applicants within the organization who took the comprehensive four-day test.

was contacted by someone pretending to work for his bank’s fraud department.

The caller told the victim that a branch manager and employee were stealing money from customers and instructed him to withdraw $30,000 in cash. Someone later came over to his home to pick up a box containing $20,000 in cash, and a second box containing $10,000 was later picked up.

The second box was initially returned, as the driver, who had an Uber sign on his window, told the victim he didn’t have enough gas to deliver the package. A second vehicle then came to pick up the box.

The man was told he would get his money back on Oct. 6. When that didn’t happen,

9/11 Climb and Flagler County partners give $8K to foundation

The 9/11 Memorial Tribute Climb Inc., Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa and the Flagler County Fire Rescue Annual Golf Outing presented an $8,000 check to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. The funds were raised through the 2024 9/11 Memorial Tribute Climb and Golf Outing, along with early contributions from 2025 events.

The donation supports the foundation’s mission to honor America’s fallen firefighters and assist their families and co-workers. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1992, the NFFF is a 501c3 nonprofit that develops programs to remember fire heroes and prevent future line-of-duty deaths and injuries.

“We are honored to come together for the greater good, to remember the heroes we lost and to give back to those who continue to serve,” said Lacy Martin, founder of the 9/11 Memorial Tribute Climb,

and the number he had been calling was disconnected, he contacted police.

OCT. 17

PROFANE ENCOUNTER

1:28 p.m. — 800 block of Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast Breach of peace. According to a report by the Sherrif’s Office, a woman called 911 alleging that a man, who was in a truck, was following her car and tailgating. When she parked at a local grocery store, the man continued to scream from his truck as he drove back and forth in the parking lot.

He was confronted by a deputy who tried to calm him down as the man continued to yell profanities. The man yelled that he could go

Inc. “This donation represents the heart of our community and our ongoing commitment to support first responders and their families.”

The annual 9/11 Memorial Tribute Climb is hosted by Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa and benefits both national and local causes.

Locally, the event provides scholarships for students pursuing careers in firefighting, law enforcement, nursing and emergency medical services.

“It’s always a privilege to host these meaningful

wherever he wanted — with an expletive. Deputies placed him under arrest and he was taken to jail.

OCT. 25

FLASHING LIGHTS

10:49 p.m. — Intersection of County Road 302 and County Road 75, Bunnell Using red and blue lights Deputies arrested a 22-yearold Bunnell man after responding to a report of a reckless driver equipped with red and blue lights. The caller had been driving on State Road 100 when a truck began to follow closely, later activating flashing red and blue lights. The caller pulled over, thinking the truck was law enforcement. But once he pulled over, the

events,” said Nicole O’Neil of Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa. “Each year, our community shows incredible generosity in honoring those who protect and serve.” The Flagler County Professional Firefighters Benevolent Foundation, organizes the Annual Golf Outing in partnership with the Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa. Together, these events unite local firefighters, businesses and community members to ensure the memory of 9/11 endures.

truck went around them and sped off. The Sheriff’s Office reports the driver, identified as the 22-year-old man, was pulled over on Lemon Street. He told police that he had been on his way to deliver groceries to his mom when a vehicle was traveling slowly in front of him.

The man passed the slow car as soon as they were in a passing zone, and didn’t mention any flashing lights. During the investigation, he did admit to the truck having “police-style lights,” according to the Sheriff’s Office. Ones, he explained, that could be activated by a switch, which he demonstrated.

The man was taken to jail, where he was later released on a $2,500 bond.

Flagler County Fire Chief Michael Tucker, firefighter/paramedic Tracy Farmer, Fire Marshal Jerry Smith, Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa’s Nicole O’Neill, founder of 9/11 Memorial Tribute Climb Lacy Martin, Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa’s Adam Dennison and firefigher/paramedic Christopher Ellis. Courtesy photos

Daniel VanDeusen

Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly celebrates 50 years in law enforcement

The Flagler County Operations Center will be named after Staly.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Elected officials from across Flagler County — and some from across Florida — came together on Nov. 4 to celebrate Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly’s 50 years in law enforcement.

“It’s extraordinary to do anything for 50 years,” Congressman Randy Fine said. “Particularly something that is as important to our citizens as law enforcement.”

Organized chiefly by Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Mark Strobridge, a reception was held at the FCSO Operations Center in Staly’s honor. During the reception, the Flagler County Commission, led by Commission Chair Andy Dance, read a proclamation announcing the Flagler County Sheriff’s Operation be renamed after Staly.

The meeting room was packed with people supporting and celebrating Staly’s success, several of whom gifted Staly with plaques, including the Flagler County chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, which awarded Staly with a Medal of Heroism in honor of his service and the 1978 incident in which Staly was shot three times while protecting a fellow deputy.

On behalf of Palm Coast, Vice Mayor Theresa Carli Pontieri also presented Staly with a key to the city. Speaking as a resident and a new mother, Pontieri thanked

Staly for the work he does.

“You go above and beyond to really keep us safe, to do it with integrity and with heart and, as was stated, with compassion,” she said. “I feel good knowing that my son will grow up in this community.”

A MAN OF COMPASSION AND INTEGRITY

Parkview Church Pastor Greg Peters said one thing Staly has not lost over his 50 years of law enforcement service, beyond his courage and conviction, is his compassion.

“Quite honestly, you’re serving in a role where it could be easy to become jaded, hang on to courage and conviction

No one should go

On Friday, Nov. 7, Flagler Radio will begin collecting donations for the food pantry through the fourth annual Million Dollar Food-A-Thon.

ABBIE PACE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The food pantry is prepared. But it could still use more help. On the Oct. 31 episode of Flagler Radio’s “Free For All Friday,” volunteers and community members highlighted the Grace Community Food Pantry in Bunnell, and the need for food among Flagler County families. The radio’s Million Dollar Food-A-Thon is Nov. 7.

The food pantry serves approximately 6,000 families in Flagler County every month. Silano was asked by David Ayres if the food pantry anticipates more families to sign up since SNAP benefits have been in jeopardy. There are about 13,000 people in Flagler Beach receiving SNAP.

“The food banks are well ahead of this to make sure we’ll have some food products for everybody that shows up,” Pastor Charles Silano, food pantry organizer, said. “I don’t see us running out of food, because we’re prepared for things like this.”

Grace Community Food Pantry volunteer Jessica Zaccaro said during the show that she had sought out help from the food pantry prior to becoming a volunteer herself.

“I just fell in love with the people, and I refused to leave,” Zaccaro said.

SCHOOLS’ ROLE

Almost every Flagler County school campus has its own food pantry, according to Flagler Schools Families in Transition Liaison Rashawnda

and lose your compassion,” Peters said.

Staly, who is in his third term as Flagler’s sheriff, began his career in 1975 as a police officer at the Oviedo Police Department. He then served as an officer at the Altamonte Springs Police Department, then began as a deputy sheriff in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in 1977. He worked there for 23 years, eventually becoming undersheriff, before retiring from the public sector in 2001. He returned to law enforcement public service in 2013 when he joined the FCSO, and was elected as sheriff in 2016.

Florida Rep. Sam Greco and

“This is not the end of the era, it’s the next chapter that has just started.”

RICK STALY, sheriff

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott could not attend the reception in person but both wrote Staly congratulatory letters that were read aloud by Strobridge. Greco said Staly is “a man whose name is synonymous with service, integrity and courage.”

“He’s built a culture of com-

passion, accountability and pride, one where every deputy, correction officer, dispatcher, volunteer, understands that they have a purpose in their work,” Greco wrote. “Sheriff Staly exemplifies true leadership, defined not by rank or title but by character. He shows up when others cannot stand. He stands firm in moments of crisis.”

Along the way Staly left an impact with many of his fellow law enforcement officers. Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said, as a new sheriff, Staly took her under his wing. She called him a “man of integrity.”

“You know that Staly is always going to do the right thing,” she said. “Even when it’s really hard.”

Staly, Cook said, is always prepared and ready to work.

The hard decisions he has to make as a sheriff, she said, are always grounded in faith.

“For me watching you,” Cook told Staly, “you are the epitome, the example, the benchmark of what every sheriff in the state should be doing.”

‘I’M NOT SLOWING DOWN’ Staly said that even though he is at 50 years of service, the reception was not an early retirement.

“This is not the end of the era, it’s the next chapter that has just started,” he said. “I’m not slowing down, and neither is my team.”

Jokingly, he added, “My wife has already said I can run for reelection in 2028.” Not only is Staly considering running for reelection in 2028, but he also announced during the reception he is working on a book on transformational leadership that could be ready for publication in 2026.

But Staly credited his team and the support from Flagler County’s residents and municipalities. It’s because of the Flagler County Commission and Palm Coast that the FCSO is now funded, fullystaffed and has a waitlist for future employees. He also said he would not be where he was if not for his many mentors and the teams he’s served on and with over the years.

“It takes mentors and a team to be successful,” he said. As for the renaming of the Operations Center, Staly said when it became clear the FCSO needed a new operations building, he knew it would need to be designed for the future.

“What I knew was that, as a sitting sheriff, the decisions that were being made on this building would affect sheriffs in this community for decades to come,” he said. “So I knew it had to be done right. Thanks to the support of the Board of County Commissioners and the team that they assembled and the planning that was done, this building is truly built for decades to come.” Email sierra@observer localnews.com.

hungry: Flagler unites to support families in need

Miller. If students or families need assistance from the pantry, Miller encourages them to reach out to their school’s counselor.

One high school student’s statement still resonates with Miller. The student told her: “Now we don’t have to choose between laundry detergent and food,” Miller said.

Grace Community Food Pantry also provides clothing and hygiene items, including feminine hygiene products, every other month to local schools.

“It’s food, it’s clothing, it’s toiletries, it’s all of that,” Grace Community Food Pantry Coordinator/Treasurer Dottie Colletta said. “A person needs all of that, especially a child.”

A student who received the donated personal hygiene items personally told Colletta how much his grades had improved due to the newfound self confidence, she said.

FOOD-A-THON

On Friday, Nov. 7, Flagler Radio will begin collecting donations for the food pantry through the fourth annual Million Dollar Food-A-Thon. The donation kickoff will begin during “Free For All Friday,” at 9 a.m. The goal for this year’s Food-A-Thon is $100,000. About $200,000 was raised for the pantry in years past, and Silano is able to use connections at food banks to make donations stretch.

“So if you give a dollar, Dottie and Pastor Silano can buy five, if you donate $100, they can buy $500 worth of food, which would feed some families,” Ayres said.

Superintendent of Flagler Schools LaShakia Moore joined the discussion via phone call during the Oct. 31 episode. Moore said that 44% of Flagler County families qualify for some type of assistance.

“It’s a great opportunity for our entire community to really

Palm Coast Elks Lodge donates

$2,500 to Grace Community Food Pantry/Team Feed Flagler for vets

The Palm Coast Elks Lodge the Lodge Veterans Committee presented a donation check of $2,500 to the Grace Community Food Pantry/ Team Feed Flager on Oct. 30, so that they can feed food challenged veterans and their families over the holidays.

Veterans Committee Chairman Jerry DiMenna thanked Dottie and Sam Colletta of the Grace Community Food Pantry,

get involved, especially this time of year,” Moore said. “As we go into the last two months of the calendar year, individuals are looking for more ways to make a difference, and this is an incredible way to do that.”

TEAM FEED FLAGLER

The food pantry has partnered with Team Feed Flagler, an organization begun by Melissa Holland years ago, and now inherited by Grace Community Food Pantry. Through Team Feed Flager, multiple

Lee Willman of Team Feed Flagler, and Cmdr. Larry Rekart and Ernie Morris of Flagler County Disabled American Veterans Chapter 86 for their efforts in feeding struggling families and, more specifically, their efforts on behalf of veterans. He also thanked the Veterans Committee members who had raised the donation money through various fundraising events and Sean Reardon who

churches and organizations join forces.

“What we like to do is give a gift card, so people can have a Thanksgiving turkey dinner in the dignity of their own home,” Silano said. “And that keeps a community together.”

For homeless individuals, Thanksgiving meals will be provided at different locations, which are listed on the Grace Community Food Pantry website: www.gracecommunityfoodpantry.org/teamfeed-flagler. Colletta shared that thou-

spearheaded the effort.

The $2,500 donation will be utilized by Grace Community Food Pantry/Team Feed Flagler to purchase grocery gift cards that can be used for food only. The Flagler County Disabled American Veterans will then distribute the cards individually to veterans who have been verified to be in need of assistance through the DAV’s Veterans Service Officers. Throughout Florida there are many veterans hospitals and other organizations that meet veterans’ needs, DiMenna said. The primary

sands of veterans come through the pantry’s doors weekly, in need of assistance.

The duo of Team Feed Flagler and Grace Community Food Pantry will be giving out 100 $50 gift cards to veterans this Thanksgiving. In addition, the two organizations plan to give out 100 more $50 gift cards to the FIT Program.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

The Grace Community Food Pantry is located at 245 Education Way, Bunnell, and is open for distribution on Sat-

focus of the Elks Lodge Veterans Committee is to first and foremost assist local Flagler County veterans who are in need and are not receiving government services. DiMenna challenged the business community and individuals to donate to local veterans causes.

Palm Coast Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Pete Lehnertz, a Navy veteran, thanked Grace Community Food Pantry/Team Feed Flager, the DAV and the Veterans Committee for their hard work and philanthropy.

urdays from 10a.m. to 1p.m., and Sundays from noon to 3 p.m. Families in need of assistance are urged to arrive during any distribution time and fill out minimal paperwork prior to receiving weekly pantry items. Donations can be made on the food pantry’s website, at www.gracecommunityfoodpantry.org/.

The pantry is always looking for additional volunteers. Call Colletta at 386-9317085, or email at Colletta48@ bellsouth.net.

Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly with his wife Debbie at a reception celebrating Staly’s 50 years in law enforcement. Photo by Sierra Williams

Staly as a teenager

Pete Lehnertz, Heather Thompson, Ernie Morris, Larry Rekart, Lee Willman, Dottie and Sam Colletta, Sean Reardon, Jerry DiMenna and Dave Valinski. Courtesy photo

Still stymied on half-cent sales tax

While the debate continues for longterm funding, Flagler County is slowing moving forward with the funded portions of dune projects.

SIERRA

WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

After almost a year of debate, and as the deadline to add a half-cent sales tax referendum to the 2026 ballot approaches, the Flagler County Commission is still asking if its municipalities would like to see it on a referendum.

At the Nov. 3 Flagler County Commission meeting, Commissioner Kim Carney asked if any municipalities had sent written requests for the county to place a half-cent tax referendum on the 2026 ballot. County Administrator Heidi Petito said she has not talked to the cities about the referendum because she did not have direction from the board to do so.

Chair Andy Dance reminded Carney that any direction to add the item to the 2026 ballot would need to come from the commission. But Carney said she needs to know what the municipalities want to do about a half-cent referendum.

“If they say to us, ‘You guys have to impose a half cent sales tax,’ ... then that’s a different animal,” she said.

The commission has met with representatives from each municipality on the subject. At the Aug. 27 joint meeting between Flagler Beach, Palm Coast, Bunnell, Beverly Beach and Flagler County representatives, there was overall support for a referendum.

At the time, Dance and Vice Chair Leann Pennington were just discussing the idea with the other municipalities. No decision was made.

Flagler Beach and Beverly Beach representatives would rather have the County Commission vote as a board to institute the tax, but at present the board does not have the majority needed to pass it. Carney and Commissioner Pam Richardson and Pennington have each voiced objections.

Carney said the county will need to talk to the municipalities again, but she doesn’t see how the discussion has changed.

“Unless I’m presented with a major change in the momentum for the half-cent, or how the citizens of Flagler County feel about the half-cent, [then] we’re just going to beat the thing to death again,” she said.

Dance said part of the conversation would need to include creating a wellthought out plan in presenting the referendum and getting it on the ballot in time.

“It’s a big, joint community effort if it’s going to be successful,” he said.

But, Dance also said, the commission should make up its own mind if it will move forward with a referendum before the board asks for support in writing from its cities.

Pennington said she doesn’t know if the support is there, considering this is an election year with the boards changing over. To Carney’s point, Pennington said, having the municipalities’ support in writing would help in upcoming workshops to address the direction of beach funding.

The MSBU special taxing district in The Hammock also needs to be addressed, Pennington said, to clear up any misinformation of how much will be taxed to that area. The county created the MSBU in 2024 to help fund the maintenance of The Hammock’s beaches, though no money has been levied from that tax yet.

Funding from that MSBU would only pay for work on the beaches within that area, Petito said.

But Petito said that until the apportionment study is completed, the county won’t know how much should be levied. And, she said, that amount will also depend on other revenue sources being dedicated to the work — like a possible half-cent sales tax.

“They need to see what other funding is going to be making up that project, so that they’re not apportioning the entire cost to the people that live within that area,” Petito said.

Despite the confusion on how the maintenance will be funded, the county has continued moving forward with its beach renourishment

work where it can. At the Nov. 3 meeting, the Flagler County Commission approved four items on its consent agenda related to beach renourishment. One item was an easement agreement with Flagler Beach for the construction of Reach II of the county’s Beach Management Plan. The Flagler Beach City Commission also approved the easements with Flagler County on Oct. 23. Reach II stretches from the north end of Flagler Beach to the southern end of Hammock Dunes, and a 2-mile stretch that will connect the Florida Department of Transportation’s secant wall with the Reach I phase. Reach I was the 2.6-mile section of Flagler Beach surrounding the pier that was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The county has the funds to complete the initial construction work for all three remaining reaches, but lacks the long-term revenue source to maintain the work.

Another item approved at the Nov. 3 meeting was a $4 million cash advance from the general fund for dune restoration work. Petito said the funding will be reimbursed to the general fund once Flagler County receives the funds from a state agency. The commission also approved amendments to two dune construction agreements. One was to add 7,500 tons of sand to a section of beach in Hammock Dunes that was lost during erosion in September. Flagler County already has ongoing dune construction work in the area, and is just extending the work to this continuous stretch of shoreline, according to meeting documents. The cost of $418,050 is paid for by funds from Hammock Dunes. The second approved work agreement is to replace 115,600 cubic yards of sand lost during Hurricane Milton along beaches in The Hammock. The two areas that will receive the sand from the River to Sea Preserve to the northern limit of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park and from the south end of the park to MalaCompra Park. This project uses $9.3 million Flagler received from the Federal Emergency Management Administration.

Developer sues Palm Coast over water capacity

The lawsuit alleges Palm Coast did not reserve the water and wastewater capacity owed to the property.

SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

A major developer in Palm Coast’s Town Center has sued the city because it allegedly failed to guarantee water and sewer services.

Florida Landmark Companies LLC and Palm Coast Holdings Inc. are listed as the lawsuit’s plaintiffs and own land that is a part of a Development of Regional Impact created in the early 2000s in Town Center. Both companies are subsidiaries of Allete Properties, owned by Duluth, Minnesota-based Allete Inc.

The 370-page complaint, filed on Oct. 23, claims that in 2024, the plaintiff attempted to sell two of its properties in Town Center to unnamed clients. However, the lawsuit says, the purchasers canceled the sale during the due diligence period because Palm Coast “was refusing to guarantee the potable water availability and wastewater capacity associated with the remaining entitlements in the Town Center DRI.”

“Without the guarantee of potable water available and wastewater capacity for the remaining buildout of the lands in the Town Center DRI, Plaintiffs are left with nearly worthless vacant land,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit is citing this failure to reserve its entitlements as a breach of contract.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to enforce the entitlements owed to them through the DRI agreement. If Palm Coast is unable to “immedi-

ately provide the necessary potable water availability and wastewater capacity” then the lawsuit is seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

The lawsuit was filed in Flagler County’s Circuit Court court with Judge Sandra Upchurch. Palm Coast’s attorneys do not comment on active litigation, but the city is required to respond to the lawsuit within 20 days, according to court documents.

Among the damages the companies list are lost profits, a decline in real property value and loss of sales, the complaint reads.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Florida Landmark Companies originally negotiated its DRI with Palm Coast in 2003.

Building entitlements typically include certain infrastructure capacity guarantees on the part of the city.

A search of the Flagler County Property Appraiser’s website shows that Palm Coast Holdings currently owns multiple parcels surrounding City Hall and Central Park. It held more, but as recently as 2024 has sold several parcels, including to two churches.

Palm Coast Holdings has been selling the land it owns surrounding City Hall for at least a decade.

Florida Landmark Communities, also named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, outright owns at least one parcel of land near City Hall. Similar to Palm Coast Holdings, it has sold at least two other parcels of land in Town Center in recent years.

According to the lawsuit, Palm Coast Holdings owns 140 acres of land in Town Center, while Florida Landmark Communities owns around 45 acres. The complaint states Palm Coast approved the follow-

ing entitlements for the Town Center DRI with Florida Landmark Communities, Inc., the predecessor of Florida Landmark Communities, LLC.: „ 2,500 residential units, „ 1.4 million square feet of office space, „ 2 million square feet of retail/commercial space, „ 1.4 million of square feet of non-retail/commercial space, „ 635,000 square feet of institutional space, „ a 2,400-seat movie theater, „ 480 rooms of lodging and a 240 bed nursing home, „ plus 714 acres of common area.

In 2022, the developers updated those entitlements with Palm Coast, which was approved by the Palm Coast City Council at the time. During that update, Palm Coast “vested” the developer “for all of the entitlements associated with the Town Center DRI (in all phases) for, inter alia, potable water and wastewater.”

Vested, in this context of the lawsuit, means the developer’s right to the water and wastewater entitlements was legally protected.

In 2024, those entitlements were updated again after the company sold some of the properties. According to the lawsuit, the current entitlements on the property are:

„ 3,575 residential units, „ 1.2 million square feet of office space, „ 1.9 million square feet of retail/commercial space,

„ 1.1 million square feet of non-retail/commercial space, „ 625,000 square feet of institutional, „ a 2,400-seat movie theater, „ a 480-room hotel and 485bed nursing home.

GROWTH IN PALM COAST

But since the DRI was instituted, Palm Coast has undergone a lot of growth, more than doubling its population from 2003 to 2020. It has also annexed land into the city and extended its water and wastewater service outside of city limits into The Hammock through interlocal agreements with Flagler County.

In 2024, Palm Coast was cited by the Florida Department of Environmental Protections for exceeding its water and wastewater capacities. The city has until 2028 to upgrade its system to meet its needs.

This is the second major lawsuit filed against Palm Coast in the last two months.

In early October, the Flagler Home Builders Association, in partnership with several local businesses, filed a lawsuit against Palm Coast for instituting impact fee increases greater than 50%, the cap set by Florida law.

Palm Coast argued over several months of meetings that it qualified for an “extraordinary circumstances” exception because of inflation, increased construction costs and extreme population growth.

NEWS BRIEFS

How to meet city manager finalists

Palm Coast invites residents to take part in the city manager finalist interview process on Thursday, Nov. 13.

The Palm Coast Council will interview the two remaining candidates one-on-one at 1:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Afterward, beginning at 5 p.m., there will be a special Community Meet & Greet that evening, a Palm Coast press release said. The public is invited to attend both events.

The two finalists for the position are:

David Fraser, who brings more than 30 years of municipal leadership experience across several states and currently serves as Interim County Manager in Adams County, Colorado.

Michael McGlothlin, who brings nearly 40 years of public service experience in municipal management and law enforcement and currently serves as Town Administrator for Redington Shores, Florida.

On Wednesday, Nov. 12, both finalists will take guided tours of the City of Palm Coast, facilitated by city staff, the press release said. Fraser’s one-on-one interviews will be at 1:30 p.m. while McGlothlin’s is at 3:15 p.m.

The public interviews are open to all residents and will be live-streamed on Palm Coast’s YouTube channel.

During the Community Meet & Greet, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., City Council members, staff, community stakeholders, and the general public for an informal opportunity to meet the finalists, ask questions, and share impressions. Light refreshments will be served, the press release said. For more information on

each finalist, including video interviews previously submitted to City Council, please visit: https://www.palmcoast. gov/city-manager-finalists.

14th

annual Palm Coast Tree Lighting: Nov. 29

The 14th Annual Palm Coast Tree Lighting Ceremony will return to Central Park in Town Center on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 6 p.m.

This community tradition will feature a visit from Santa Claus, and the Rotary Club of Flagler County’s launch of the 20th Anniversary Fantasy Lights display, a Palm Coast press release said. Families can enjoy food trucks, photos with Santa, kids’ crafts, and Santa’s Village, complete with hot cocoa and marshmallow toasting.

The celebration continues all season long with additional holiday events, including the Feet to Feast 5K at Daytona State College’s Palm Coast Campus on Nov. 27, the Starlight Parade in Town Center on Dec. 6 and the Holiday Boat Parade along the Intracoastal Waterway on Dec. 13. The lights display will illuminate Central Park nightly from Nov. 29 through Dec. 30, from 6:30–9 p.m., the press release said. The display features dozens of lighted exhibits, live music, and themed nights. Admission is free, and donations are appreciated to support the Rotary’s community service programs. For the full schedule, visit www. flaglerrotary.org. Businesses and organizations are invited to join the fun by participating in the parades: Starlight Parade registration: palmcoast.gov/events/ home/details/starlightparade Holiday Boat Parade registration: palmcoast.gov/ events/home/details/holiday-boat-parade

Veteran: ‘It made me a good person’

Military Officers Association of America

Halifax Area will host a Veterans Day ceremony in Daytona Beach on Nov. 11.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Retired Lt. Col. Arnold Leeks is proud that he served his country.

A veteran of the National Guard, Leeks dedicated almost 40 years to the military. He learned a lot, he said. It made him a more rounded person.

“I love my country,” Leeks said. “When you put that uniform on and you walk out there and people are thanking you for your service, it’s a good feeling.”

Leeks is one of the veterans part of the Military Officers Association of America Halifax Area Chapter, who in conjunction with the Volusia County Veterans Council, will host a Veterans Day Ceremony at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at Veterans Memorial Plaza, located at 125 E. Orange Ave.

This is the first time this ceremony will be held. Vietnam Veteran Skip Keating, of Ormond Beach, spearheaded the program, which will feature two speakers: Marine Corps veteran Sgt. Matthew Welch, an Ormond Beach native who was stationed in the Persian Gulf and Somalia; and Army Command Sgt. Maj. Don Felt, of Daytona Beach, who served for 30 years.

Keating, who served in the Army, said they wanted to specifically recognize sergeants.

“The guys who really put in the effort, the guys that do all the work, day in and day out, are sergeants,” Keating said.

Keating spent 27 years in the military, serving overseas in Vietnam, Germany and Korea, as well as stateside at Fort Sill, Fort Benning, Fort Bragg and Fort Jackson, mostly as a field artillery officer.

He said he wants the community to honor veterans.

“Veterans stand proud of the community,” he said. “Please don’t forget about them. They enrich the community.”

MOAA’s mission is to support veterans and their families through active engagement at the local, state and national levels through advocating for legislative priorities and protecting benefits for veterans and their spouses.

One of the local efforts for the Halifax Chapter is visiting the Emory L. Bennett Memorial Veterans Nursing Home for bagels and bingo once a month.

Leeks, who worked with Keating while in the service, recently took part in that for the first time.

“We served them coffee and bagels and they played bingo,” Leeks said. “We did this for about an hour, and I felt really good walking out the door after doing that this [Monday] morning.”

Leeks first came to Volusia County shortly after completing basic and advanced training for the Florida Army National Guard in 1977. He enrolled in Bethune-Cookman University, then called Bethune-Cookman College, all the while remaining part of the National Guard.

He was part of an infantry unit for six years and then later was accepted into the Florida Officer Candidate School.

In 1983, he served as a second lieutenant in the Florida Army National Guard as a medical services corps officer. In the years that followed, Leeks was involved with Hurricane Andrew relief efforts in South Florida, treating over 450 people in one month. From there, he was promoted to first lieutenant and later to captain.

During this period, he was also working as a public relations specialist for Florida Power and Light.

For two years, Leeks served as the aide-de-camp to the adjutant general for the Florida National Guard. Once that concluded, he decided he wanted to work in the National Guard full time. So, that’s what he did.

“I’m very fortunate,” Leeks said. “Opportunities just came upon me, and I made the right the decisions at the time with the help of my wife, Dorcas Leeks.”

Leeks worked in the Nation-

al Guard for the next 18 years, during which he was deployed to Iraq for a year.

“I was commander of that unit, took them overseas and brought all of my soldiers back from overseas,” Leeks said. He then was selected to become the deputy state surgeon for the Florida Army National Guard. He fulfilled that role for seven years and then spent a couple more as a state mobilization officer. That’s when he was deployed for another tour, this time to Afghanistan as a senior medical operations officer. Leeks fell ill with Legionnaires’ disease and had to be returned to the U.S. in 2016. Following his recovery, he spent another year in the military before retiring and taking a job at the Pentagon, where he worked for eight years until retiring last April and moving back to Volusia County, to the city of Port Orange.

As he reflects on his service, Leeks said he enjoyed his work — and that Veterans Day is an important day to honor all those who served.

“I think the military was the right move for me, because it was a structured organization,” Leeks said. “... You have to do things right because a lot of things that you do in the military relies on your knowledge, and it could be life or death for not only you, but for your fellow soldiers as well. So it rounded me out. It made me a good person.”

National Guard veteran Arnold Leeks is recognized during his retirement ceremony at Fort Myers in April. Courtesy photo

After graduating from BethuneCookman University in 1982, Arnold Leeks continued to serve in the National Guard.

Vietnam vet Skip Keating served 27 years in the U.S. Army.

‘Borinqueneer’ Arce honored for service in Korean War

‘Ambassador for Peace’ was the third medal, Arce, a veteran of the 65th Infantry Regiment, received. Arce is 93 years old.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

South Korea began giving out Ambassador for Peace medals in 1975 to veterans of UN coalition nations who fought in the Korean War.

Luciano Arce received his on Monday, Nov. 3, at the Flagler Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Bunnell. Arce, who recently celebrated his 93rd birthday, received the medal in front of family and friends in a ceremony led by Army veteran Angel Cordero. “It is a great honor and pleasure to express the everlasting gratitude of the Republic of Korea and our people for the service you and your countrymen have performed in restoring and preserving our freedom and democracy,” Cordero read from South Korea’s proclamation. “We cherish in our hearts, the memory of your boundless sacrifices in helping us reestablish our free nation. With

YOUR TOWN

Veteran Spotlight:

Charlie Miller

Branch of Military: United States Marine Corps.

Dates of Service: 1951–1954

Rank / Occupation: Corporal, Field Radio Operator

Hometown: Williston Park, N.Y.

Charlie Miller enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1951 during the Korean War. Charlie became a field radio operator in the Marine Corps. Upon completion of his training, he was deployed to Korea in February 1952, to serve with the 2nd Amphibian Tractor Battalion.

As a field radio operator, he was responsible for operating and maintaining radio communication systems. This role is critical for ensuring command and control during operations and requires a strong understanding of radio operations and radio technology. After returning from Korea, Charlie was assigned to instruct NATO forces in forward observer and gunfire tactics in the Mediterranean Sea. He was honorably discharged in 1954.

While in the Marine Corps,

grateful recognition of your dedicated contributions, it is our privilege to proclaim you an Ambassador for Peace.”

Cordero handed the medal to Arce, and tears came to Arce’s eyes. Arce would not have been able to travel to receive the medal because he is ill and currently on dialysis, his daughter, Ivey (pronounced Evie) Rodriguez said. “We are so proud of him,

he earned the Korean Service Medal with three stars, United Nations Service Medal, the Navy Occupation Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

Charlie had a career with IBM. He was heavily involved in the introduction of computers to workforce. He was in charge of data management and also program managing. He spent time in various parts of the U.S. as well as Europe. Charlie earned his bachelor of science degree while working for IBM. After retiring, he lectured in computer science at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Charlie received a “50th Anniversary Of The Korean War” medal from the President of the Republic of South Korea in a special ceremony in 2000.

South Korea was offering its gratitude for the U.S veterans that helped the country maintain its democracy.

Charlie is a member of the 1st Sgt. Burdette W. Loucks Jr. Marine Corps League, Detachment 876. He will be the speaker at the Marine Corps Ball in Flagler County on Nov. 8. The U.S. Marine Corps is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.

Charlie has three daughters: Maureen, Kathleen and Geraldine. He and his wife Winnie live in the Flagler County portion of Plantation Bay.

and this is such a great honor, and we couldn’t be happier,” Rodriguez said. “I’m so happy that he’s still around (to receive it).”

Naomi Figueroa Soulet, who produced and directed the 2007 PBS documentary, “The Borinqueneers,” made the celebration possible. Arce, who was born in Puerto Rico, was a member of the 65th Infantry Regiment,

the only Hispanic-segregated unit in the history of the U.S. Army. The regiment, made up almost entirely of Puerto Ricans, was known as the Borinqueneers.

Figueroa Soulet, who lives in Poinciana in Kissimmee, Florida, has a database of soldiers who served in the 65th during the Korean War.

“I have a friend in New York, who’s involved with this sub-

ject matter, and he was going to the Korean Embassy to pick up two of the Ambassador for Peace medals for somebody else,” Figueroa Soulet said.

“So, he said, ‘Do you have any that you need?’ So, I started calling, and I found three from Florida.”

Cordero, who served in the Army for 21 years, recently moved to Palm Coast. He has been working with Figueroa Soulet for 25 years, assisting her in her projects and presentations.

“When she found out that Luciano Arce lived here, she called me up and asked if I would come and join in the presentation,” Cordero said.

Arce has also received two other medals for his service.

He received Bronze Star Medal for saving a sergeant’s life who was wounded in Korea, Rodriguez said.

“My father said they were ambushed, and when the sergeant got wounded and they had to escape from that area, my father picked him up, put him on his back and ran from the chaos that was happening and was able to rescue him.

And (the sergeant) was treated by the medics at the airport.”

Arce also received a Congressional Gold Medal in Orlando a few years ago, his daughter said.

“He never talked about the war until recently. He recalls the things that he went through, and he’s very proud of his service,” Rodriguez said. Figueroa Soulet, who has also written books about the Puerto Rican regiment, estimates that there were 16,000 Borinqueneers, which includes replacements who served in Korea during the 1950-1953 war. She is planning a Facebook Live event for 6 p.m. Nov. 13, profiling generations who served in the unit, beginning in 1899, when the U.S. took over Puerto Rico.

WHERE COTTON GROWS, SHADOWS LINGER

The Sound of the Whippoorwill is a moving memoir set in the postWWII deep south. It narrates the struggles of a fourth-generation white family on a cotton farm, wrestling with hard labor, mental illness, and child abuse. The narrative also explores the complex racial dynamics between the family and their black farm workers, delineating the stark inequities of a racially segregated society. A poignant exploration of resilience and the human spirit, it offers a profound reflection on cultural and social issues.

Angel Cordero reads the proclamation from South Korea honoring Luciano Arce with an Ambassador of Peace medal. Marine Corps veteran Jeff Kingdon is in the background. Photo by Brent Woronoff

Luciano Arce is overcome with emotion after receiving the Ambassador of Peace medal.

Korean War veteran Charlie Miller will be the speaker at the Marine Corps Ball in Flagler County on Nov. 8. Courtesy photo

Furyk & Friends move PGA Tour Champions event to Hammock Beach

Still 11 months before the event, hosts and organizers drummed up support in The Hammock.

BRENT WORONOFF

EDITOR

ASSOCIATE

The Constellation Furyk & Friends golf tournament at Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa is still 11 months away, but tournament hosts and organizers are already drumming up excitement for the event, beginning with a media day and outdoor press conference held Nov. 3 on site with the Atlantic Ocean serving as a backdrop.

Jim Furyk and his wife, Tabitha, are moving their PGA Tour Champions event

with their title sponsor, carbon-free energy producing company Constellation, to Hammock Beach’s Ocean Course. They had hosted the tournament for five years at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville.

“This is definitely the most ideal setting for a press conference of all time,” exclaimed tournament director Adam Renfroe, who facilitated the press conference, which also included Jim and Tabitha Furyk, Hammock Beach General Manager Brad Hauer, PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady and Constellation Executive Vice President Jim McHugh. Hammock Beach last hosted a Champions tour event in 2007 and 2008.

The Furyk & Friends tournament will run Oct. 9-11, 2026, with events running all

week, beginning with Operation Shower on Oct. 4, which is a group baby shower for military expectant families, and including pro-ams on Oct. 7-8 and a concert following the first round of play on Oct. 9. The tournament purse is $2.1 million. Jim Furyk, a 17-time winner on the PGA Tour, said, “We’re going to have this little golf tournament with 78 of the best players in the world over the age of 50, Hall of Famers. It brings folks out, but really it’s about our foundation, Tabitha’s vision. It’s about banding our communities together to bring folks out to create revenue for the wonderful (charitable) organizations.”

Tabitha Furyk, the president of the Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation, said that during the first five years of

Furyk & Friends, the tournament has raised over $5 million for Northeast Florida charities.

“That’s part of what we want to do when we come here. We want to help embrace the community and figure out ways that we can help,” Tabitha Furyk said.

Hauer said Hammock Beach is a charitable community.

“When you go to the Furyk & Friends website, you’ll see firsthand in big bold letters, ‘Building community on the course for charity.’ That is the mission for this event. And I’m 100 percent confident that our club membership will be right behind that,” he said.

‘FLORIDA’S OCEAN

GOLF COURSE’

The Jack Nicklaus signaturedesigned Ocean Course has six holes overlooking the

Atlantic Ocean, more than any other golf course in the state.

“We’re basically Florida’s ocean golf course,” Hauer said.

Jim Furyk said he had never been to the resort until he and Tabitha visited last year, and he was struck by its beauty.

“I had heard so much about it, living in Jacksonville, which is just an hour away,” he said.

“... Oh my goodness, staring at the beach, the event lawn, the golf course. Of course, I drifted over to 18 by myself to kind of take a look at the condition of the golf course. The paspalum fairways — spectacular. It looked like a carpet. It looked like you could have held a Tour event on it that day.”

Furyk said he played the course on Oct. 2, when the ocean breeze wasn’t as strong as it was during the press con-

ference.

“Jack built a golf course that’s somewhat wide and generous on the fairways. It needs to be in this wind,” he said. “But it’s got some teeth on the greens, some undulation. You catch a little breeze, a little wind out here, and this place is going to provide a test for the players.”

The Furyks signed a fiveyear contract with Hammock Beach, but only the first two years are guaranteed.

Renfroe said the tournament operated with about 600 volunteers at Timuquana and will need “a few more” than that at Hammock Beach getting players and fans around the golf course.

“I don’t think we’ll have any issues in identifying those volunteers,” he said. “We mentioned how enthusiastic the membership was.”

When heroes retire, who protects them?

Health care should be included for first responders who retire in their 50s.

CHARLES GAMBARO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Last month, I met a retired Volusia County firefighter who spent 28 years running into burning buildings. He told me something that breaks my heart: At 54, he’s working night shifts at a warehouse, not because he wants to, but because he needs health insurance. His pension doesn’t start covering health care until he’s 65. That’s an 11-year gap where this hero has to choose between medical care and

making ends meet. This isn’t just his story. It’s the story of thousands of Florida’s retired police officers, firefighters and paramedics who served their communities until their bodies couldn’t take it anymore. We send them home with a thank you and a pension, then leave them stranded in what I call the “retirement health care desert,” that brutal stretch between career’s end and Medicare eligibility. Here’s what really gets me. We already solved this problem for our military veterans. They get care. And they absolutely deserve it, I’m not suggesting otherwise. But why do we treat the cop who’s been shot at in Daytona Beach differently than the soldier who served in Kandahar? Both wore uniforms. Both took an oath. Both sacrificed for us.

A PROBLEM CONGRESS CAN SOLVE NOW

In Washington, everything is partisan these days. But

supporting first responders? That’s not a Republican issue or a Democrat issue. It’s an American issue. Senators from both parties have introduced legislation allowing retired first responders to buy into Medicare starting at age 50. Not a handout. A buy-in. They’d pay premiums just like anyone else, with help from tax credits, and employer contributions. This works because Medicare already exists. We’re not building something new; we’re just opening the door a little earlier for people who’ve earned it. Compare that to trying to expand military health care systems to millions of civilians, which would cost nearly double and create administrative chaos. Congress could also boost the current $3,000 annual tax break for retired first responders to buy health insurance, perhaps taking it to $12,000 or $15,000. That’s real money that helps real families. Or we could create a federal backstop protect-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New big-box store would exacerbate traffic on SR 100

Dear Editor: I would just like to share my insights on the proposed big-box retail store along State Road 100.

I agree with Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri regarding the negative impact on traffic and safety along S.R. 100 that this proposal will bring about.

I believe people who want to shop at BJ’s, exercise at Planet Fitness or eat out at

FOCUS ON FAITH

Prince of Peace Catholic Church celebrates Day of the Dead

Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Ormond Beach recently celebrated All Souls Day in connection with the Day of Dead celebrations, in remembrance of all those lost throughout this last year.

“All Souls Day can be a beautiful way to remember one’s loved ones who have died, such as sharing memories, looking at photographs, praying, and singing,” the church posted on Facebook, citing an ABC news article. United Methodist of Palm Coast hosts fundraiser

On Nov. 15 from 4-6 p.m., the United Methodist Christian School in Palm Coast will host its second annual Little Picasso Art Show Fundraiser.

The Facebook post states that patrons will “experience the amazing artwork created by our talented young artists. You won’t want to miss this colorful showcase of imagina-

Stephenson, Wilcox and Associates

tion, expression, and Godgiven creativity”.

Tomoka Christian seeks help

To prepare for an increase of those in need of food due to the ongoing government shutdown, Tomoka Christian Church of Ormond Beach is seeking donations for its food pantry.

“You can help make a difference by donating non-perishable food or giving financially,” the church stated on Facebook. “Every can, every dollar, and every act of kindness helps. Together, let’s show our community what it means to love our neighbors well!”

The church is seeking donations such as cereal, peanut butter, grape jelly, canned vegetables, canned fruit, canned chicken and tuna, soup, applesauce, canned beans, pork and beans, mac and cheese and ramen noodles.

The food pantry is located at 1450 Hand Ave. in Ormond Beach and is open seven days a week.

LongHorn, Miller’s and the like will be disgruntled on the possible traffic congestion; not to mention the ambulances and other emergency vehicles having to navigate the congested S.R. 100 when going to AdventHealth or nearby urgent care centers.

ing local pension funds that still offer retiree health care, making it affordable for cities and counties to keep their promises.

WHAT THIS MEANS

FOR FLORIDA

Florida has over 75,000 law enforcement officers and firefighters. Many face mandatory retirement in their early 50s. In Flagler County alone, think about every deputy, every firefighter, every EMT who’s responded to your emergency. Now imagine them at 52, healthy enough to enjoy retirement but stuck paying $1,800 a month for private insurance. That’s $21,600 a year that is often half their pension. These aren’t numbers on a spreadsheet. These are our neighbors. The woman who delivered your baby when you couldn’t make it to the hospital in time. The officer who talked your kid out of making a terrible mistake. The firefighter who saved your dog from that house fire.

I think a better solution is to divert these future planned big-box stores and assign/ relocate them to U.S.1 where there are still vast areas of land for development. I had made this suggestion to put future big-box stores like IKEA, UNIQLO, etc. along the U.S.1 corridor, during my attendance at the Palm Coast Citizens Acad-

THE AMERICA I BELIEVE IN I’m running for Congress because I believe in an America that keeps its promises. An America where service means something beyond a handshake and a certificate. Where we don’t ask people to sacrifice their health protecting us, then abandon them when they need protection.

This is about dignity. It’s about gratitude, not just in words but in action. It’s about recognizing that the measure of our society isn’t just how we honor heroes when they’re on duty, it’s how we care for them when they’ve given everything they had to give.

When I get to Washington, I’m introducing legislation to give our first responders real health care security in retirement. Not because it’s easy or politically convenient, but because it’s right.

That’s not a Democratic value or a Republican value. That’s an American value.

And it’s worth fighting for.

Palm Coast City Councilman Charles Gambaro is running for the Florida District 6 seat in the U.S. House.

emy in November 2023. We hope that S.R. 100 will be limited to essential services only, if possible, in order to provide a smooth, easy and quick driving experience along this route.

CORINNA MARTINEZ Palm Coast

Managing

Associate

Staff

Operation

Marketing

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Send letters to brent@ observerlocalnews.com. Include first and last name, as well as city of residence. Editor may alter the letter for clarity and/or length.

Flagler County’s future: responding to growth

The Chamber of Commerce hosted a forum on Nov. 4.

BRIAN MCMILLAN

PUBLISHER

Flagler County is the fifthfastest growing county in Florida, with a projected population of 172,000 by 2030.

That was County Administrator Heidi Petito’s report to community leaders at the Flagler Future Forum, hosted Nov. 4 by the Palm CoastFlagler Regional Chamber of Commerce, at Palm Coast United Methodist Church.

Growth — its opportunities and challenges — was the theme of many of the presentations by the administrators of Palm Coast, Flagler, Bunnell, the county, and Flagler Schools.

PALM COAST

Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston said Palm Coast is “a city on the rise.”

Over 83% of residents say they plan to stay here for the long term. In addition, $55 million has been committed for investment by the private sector — Google and DC Blox — in Town Center. The Promenade, a mixed-use $70 million complex, is set to open in Town Center in the summer of 2026.

Serenity Falls Mini Golf is also planned for Town Center, along with a mixed-use development on Bulldog Drive. And of course, “My family cannot wait for that Chick-fil-A to

open on State Road 100,” she said.

At the same time, there are signs of a slowing marking. Permitting activity is down 4%, “mirroring statewide trends,” Johnston said.

FLAGLER BEACH

The city of Flagler Beach has been celebrating its 100 year anniversary this year.

City Manager Dale Martin said the biggest project the city is working is the pier construction, for $15 million. After a delay due to turtle nests, it’s “back on track,” he said. Thanks to grants, “not a single local dollar” is being spent on the pier. It is anticipated to be completed by Dec. 31, 2026.

The new pier will be about 830 feet long and be 25 feet wide. There will also be more facilities at the A-frame building, alongside a new openair platform for events. The boardwalks will be elevated and repaired, thanks to a grant from Flagler County.

BUNNELL

Kristen Bates, city clerk, represented the city of Bunnell, which is Florida’s second largest city by land mass.

Among the recent highlights:

Flagler Central Commerce Parkway was completed and opened on Aug. 29, 2025, about 35 years after the need was first identified, Bates said.

The city also has created a performance-based incentive policy, leading to over $28 million in investments in

the city.

Among the developments on the horizon for Bunnell are U.S. 1 Park, Empire Mesa Industrial Park, and Tupelo Townhomes, which will add 308 housing units to Bunnell.

FLAGLER COUNTY

Petito is optimistic about the county’s economic future.

This year, the county created an Industrial Development Authority to offer tax-exempt bond financing, making it easier for businesses to relocate and/or expand in Flagler County. The Flagler Executive Airport has drawn attention around the state, Petito said. About 130 shovel-ready acres are available, she said.

Other highlights include the following:

The Flagler Eco-Discovery Center is being designed on State Road 100 between the airport and Flagler Beach.

The county has planned for $102 million for critical improvements to infrastructure.

The county has acquired 365 acres of conservation land, with another 3,819 acres under contract, for wildlife corridor and water quality concerns.

In the spring or summer of 2026, further beach and dune protection projects will begin.

Emergency response times have improved by 12% since 2023, Petito reported.

FLAGLER SCHOOLS

Moore said the district has one standard in decision making: “We have to first identify, ‘How does this impact our students?’”

There are 13,459 students in Flagler Schools, and 2,405 employees, she said. How can Flagler return to its status as an A-rated district? The main obstacle, Moore said, is that Flagler Schools needs to increase its college and career acceleration by 12%. But, she said, that data is not current.

“We already have that in the bag,” she said. “… We are well on our way not only to being an A, but staying an A.” She said kindergarten is where it all starts. “If we want to see grade 3 improve, we have to improve kindergarten readiness.”

About 75% of students who are unprepared for kindergarten “do not ever catch up,” she said. “We have to make sure they come into kindergarten ready to learn.”

The goal is not just graduation, either. She touted the schools’ emphasis on “Diploma plus,” meaning that every student should also be certified in something, or take advanced classes, to show that they are getting ready for the next stage of life. The certifications also help the local economy, she said: “They’re not just classes. They’re our local talent incubator.”

More than 1/3 of families in Flagler Schools have lived in this community for four years or fewer, said LaShakia Moore, superintendent of Flagler Schools. That means communications have to be targeted accordingly.

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Glean machine

with the idea of picking up garbage candy, or as I now like to call it, gleaning.

BRIAN MCMILLAN PUBLISHER

In our minivan, on the way to the Parkview Church trunk or treat, I explained the concept of the parent tax to my three youngest children.

“Twenty percent of the candy that you actually like,” I said, “plus 100% of all the candy you don’t like.”

Hearing groans of protests, I reinforced my rule with an iron fist: “And I get to take whatever I want after bed time.”

My wife, Hailey, turned to our children to reassure them that my views were not in harmony with societal mores. She said, “That’s not a parent tax, that’s parent thievery.”

I was shocked at such a rebuke, so I did some self reflection, and I resolved to try another way. I came up

Gleaning is an ancient practice in which it was acceptable for anyone to harvest leftover or damaged crops after the owners or professionals were done. Dumpster diving is a modern, urban comparison to gleaning.

Now we can add “parking lot scavenging” to the list. Not only do I get candy, but it also cleans up the place. Nothing goes to waste.

As we snaked through the trunk or treat — checking out the Star Wars-themed trunks; a football referee; Jurassic Park; and my favorite, a 1980s TV workout guru — I did my best to collect all the candy that had fallen to the ground. In fact, I didn’t see most of the trunk decorations because I was concentrating so hard on gleaning.

First, I found a Tootsie Roll, and it was no Midgie; we’re talking the three-inch-long variety. Delicious.

Of course, not all candies were pristine. I hesitated after examining one misshapen Vanilla Midgie, since it had clearly been stepped on. But I peeled off the wrapper, and didn’t see any rocks or sand flecks. I ate it, and I was correct: No crunch. Just pure vanilla smoothness.

The most common candy to be dropped, or possibly discarded on purpose (that’s called littering, people), was the Jolly Rancher Chew. But I didn’t mind. Every flavor tasted great. There was one pink piece of candy that had been pancaked so many times that I couldn’t tell what it was. I decided to leave that one alone.

But, I also decided to change

my approach for the greater good: I started also picking up the empty wrappers, even though there would be no sweet payoff. I was inspired throughout by the number of people who made the event possible. Volunteers or church staff, at Parkview and at similar events around town, spent hours on logistics, including greeting visitors and restocking trunks with candy so that no child would be disappointed by — the horror! — an empty bucket at a trunk.

At the end of the night, I had had my fill, and for anyone who knows me, that means I got a lot of candy. I even declined to enforce the parent tax. (It’s still possible that thievery could happen in the coming days.)

OKES honored as School

The Flagler County School Board honored Old Kings Elementary School at its Oct. 28 board meeting for being designated a School of Excellence by

the Florida Board of Education for a third consecutive year.

To reach the distinction a school’s grade calculation must be in the 80th percentile or higher among other schools on its grade level. In Flagler County, only two schools have qualified for the designation — Indian Trails Middle School and OKES — Assistant Superintendent Angela O’Brien told the board. A school that qualifies can retain the designation for up to three years and then can renew.

Superintendent LaShakia Moore noted that OKES Principal Jessica Fries, Assistant Principal Kim Scaccia and faculty members wore “Excellence for All” T-shirts at the meeting, because the school is not only performing among the top 20% in the state, but none of its subgroups are on the federal index.

“Every subgroup of students is also moving forward academically, so kudos to you guys.

We are super proud of your hard work and look forward to you being a School of Excellent for years and years to come,” Moore said.

FPC, Matanzas graduations set for May 31

The 2026 Flagler Palm Coast and Matanzas high school graduation ceremonies will be held on Sunday, May 31 — the week after Memorial Day — at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach. The facility fee is $5,000, a $1,000 increase from last year. The Flagler County School Board approved the contract at its Oct. 28 meeting.

FTC awarded $20,000 in grants

Flagler Technical College has been awarded three grants totaling $20,000 to advance literacy through FTC’s adult edu-

cation programs, FTC Director Renee Swaggery announced.

The Florida Literacy Coalition Financial Literacy Grant of $5,000, sponsored by Wells Fargo, will enhance financial literacy education, empowering students and their families with essential money management skills. The Florida Literacy Coalition Health Literacy Grant of $5,000, sponsored by Florida Blue, focuses on improving health literacy to help students and their families make informed health care decisions and navigate health care information effectively. The Dollar General Literacy Foundation Grant of $10,000 will support comprehensive literacy programs at their core, Swaggerty said, allowing FTC to expand adult education opportunities.

Send news about your school to brent@observerlocalnews. com.

Christian and Atlas Graham, and Lauriah Hoilman.

Londun Taylor, Tara Wright, Journeii Harrison, Aiden Jackson, Madyson Taylor, Trina Jackson, Kiara Jackson and Nevaeh Black.

Ted and Jennifer Wislocki, Allie Siena, Kelli McDonald and Mike McDonald, with their Minions.

Dylan Hammerle and Kaitlyn McBride help pass out candy at Parkview Church. Photos by Brian McMillan

Matanzas High School senior Remmika Battles with Flagler County Education Foundation’s Maryiotti Johnson and Selina Hernandez, Assistant Superintendent Angela O’Brien and School Board member Lauren Ramirez. Courtesy photo

THURSDAY, NOV. 6

VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION & LUNCHEON

When: 12-2 p.m.

Where: Ormond Beach Senior Center, 351 Andrews St., Ormond Beach

Details: The City of Ormond Beach will recognize veterans during this annual luncheon. Free for veterans. Guests are $7. Reserve tickets in person at the Ormond Beach Leisure Services Office at 399 N. U.S. 1. Call 386-676-3250.

FRIDAY, NOV. 7

CORNUCOPIA: A JOURNEY OF COLOR AND ABUNDANCE OPENING RECEPTION

When: 5-7 p.m.

Where: Starry Night Gallery, 230 S. Beach St. Daytona Beach

Details: See this curated showcase features a diverse collection of works by the Florida Women’s Arts Association, showcasing their unique styles interpreting color and abundance of the season. The exhibit runs through Nov. 23. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday to Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

‘TIL DEATH DO US PLUNDER’ MURDER MYSTERY FUNDRAISER DINNER

When: 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 7 and 8

Where: Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway NE, Palm Coast

Details: The Seawolf Privateers invites guests to witness a pirate wedding gone horribly wrong. Every guest is a suspect, every toast could be their last. Will they uncover the truth? Proceeds support foster children and displaced children. Tickets cost $60. Visit https://seawolfprivateers.org/fundraisers.

SATURDAY, NOV. 8

HOLIDAY BAZAAR

When: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Tomoka United Methodist Church, 1000 Old Tomoka Road, Ormond Beach

Details: The bazaar will feature a selection of fall, Christmas and year-round crafts, gifts, jewelry, books and plants. This year’s event will also include a themed gift basket raffle. Homemade lunch is served between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Bake sale items will be available. Free admission.

FALL PLANT SALE

When: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Bailey Riverbridge Gardens meeting house, 1 N. Beach St., Ormond Beach

Details: The Seaside Herb Society is hosting its fall plant sale. For more information, call call Denny Lee Snyder at 443-497-0044. Visit seasideherbsociety.com.

ANNUAL HOLIDAY FAIR

When: 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Where: Trinity Presbyterian Church, 156 Florida Park Drive, Palm Coast

Details: Browse through holiday crafts, bakery items, jewelry and a rummage sale. There will an antique car show by Wheels in Motion. Free.

PALM COAST FALL ARTS

FESTIVAL

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Central Park at Town Center, 975 Central Ave., Palm

Coast Details: Join the Flagler County Cultural Council for a day of art, music and food. The festival will host regional artists and artisan crafters. Local musicians will provide entertainment. Festival is presented with the City of Palm Coast.

NATIVE PLANT PRESENTATION AND SALES

When: 10 a.m.

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

Beach Details: Learn about native plants for birds and peruse the sale.

GREEN HERITAGE

NURSERY’S FIRST CHILI

COOK-OFF AND FALL MARKET

When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Green Heritage Nursery, 22 Bimini Lane, Bunnell

Details: Bring your best chili recipe, or your just appetite. There will be prizes for best traditional, spiciest and most creative chili, as well as vendors and artisans. Admission costs $5. Kids under 10 are free.

SECOND ANNUAL DAYTONA FOOD FEST & CRAFT FAIR

When: 12-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 9

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

Details: Attend this food festival where a la carte tasting menus are priced between $1-$5 per item. Enjoy a large variety of beverages, contests, entertainment and a craft fair marketplace. There will also be a free kid zone.

NATURE JOURNALING:

MANATEES

When: 2-3:30 p.m.

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

Details: This is a beginnerfriendly adult learning program that includes a presentation about manatees, drawing and writing activities. Bring your own journal if you have one; all materials will be provided. Call 386-610-0615.

BLANK SPACE: THE UNOFFICIAL TAYLOR SWIFT TRIBUTE

When: 7 p.m.

Where: The Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center, 5500 State Route 100, Palm Coast Details: Dancers, a live band and special effects come together to celebrate Taylor Swift’s greatest hits — from the ballads of “Fearless” to the chart-topping anthems of “1989,” to the storytelling magic of “Folklore” and “Evermore.” The one-night production is fronted by Olivia Moretti. Tickets cost $25 for students; $54-$70 for adults. Visit flaglerauditorium.org.

MONDAY, NOV. 10

CHARITY GOLF

TOURNAMENT

When: 9 a.m.

Where: Grand Haven Golf Club, 500 Riverfront Drive, Palm Coast

Details: Golf for a cause and support the Cedar Bridge Foundation, benefitting individuals with exceptional needs and abilities. Tournament registration costs $160 per player; $600 for four players. Breakfast and lunch is included. Visit https://www. zeffy.com/ticketing/charitygolf-tournament.

OBPD’S NATIONAL NIGHT OUT When: 5-8 p.m.

Where: Rockefeller Gardens, 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond

Beach

Details: Join the Ormond Beach Police Department for this family-friendly event featuring food trucks, bounce houses, a petting zoo, local vendors, police vehicles and music by DJ tremble. Free event.

TUESDAY, NOV. 11

FALL BIRD WALKS

When: 8 a.m.

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

Details: Join Master Naturalist Joan Tague of the Halifax River Audubon for a casual bird walk along the trails of Central Park. Water, walking shoes and sunscreen recommended. Free event.

VETERANS DAY CEREMONY

When: 10 a.m.

Where: Veterans Memorial Plaza, 125 E. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach

Details: The Military Officers Association of America Halifax Area Chapter and the Vietnam Veterans of America invite the community to attend a ceremony to honor those who served, with special recognition of noncommissioned leaders across the services. This is also a Toys for Tots collection so attendees are invited to bring an unwrapped toy to benefit Volusia County children.

VETERANS DAY PARADE When: 10 a.m.

Where: Bunnell City Hall, 200 S. Church St. Bunnell, to Flagler County Courthouse, 1769 E Moody Blvd., Bunnell

Details: The City of Bunnell, Flagler County, City of Palm Coast, City of Flagler Beach, Town of Marineland, and Town of Beverly Beach invite residents to watch this Veterans Day parade, beginning at Bunnell City Hall and heading northeast on East Moody Boulevard to conclude at the Flagler County Courthouse. A ceremony will then take place in front of the Government Services Building. Visit flaglerveteransdayparade.com.

OMAM’S VETERANS DAY TRIBUTE

When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: Ormond Memorial Art Museum parking lot, 78 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach

Details: OMAM will honor veterans with its annual tribute, featuring guest speaker Ormond Beach City Commissioner and Marine Corps veteran Travis Sargent. The tribute will include a performance by the Bombshell Sirens of Halifax Repertory Theatre, LPE Jazz Trio led by Louis Pettinelli, Dry Bar comedian Carmen Vallone and the Daytona Beach Choral Society. Free community event. VFW POST 8696

YOUR TOWN

Kids Rock the Nation’s free

Kids Rock the Nation will host a free Kids Showcase 4-8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Daytona State College Flagler/Palm Coast Campus Amphitheater.

The event will feature the Buddy Taylor Middle School jazz band and three high school rock bands — Palm Coast’s SB3 and Ruju and New Smyrna Beach’s Busy Sky.

The event will include a food truck. Event sponsors include the City of Palm Coast, the Flagler County Cultural Council and Law Offices of Katz and Green, Anthony Wild, found of Kids Rock the Nation, said.

Kids Rock the Nation has donated thousands of instruments to schools and individuals locally and nationally since 2014, including all of the schools in Flagler County and over $100,000 in instruments to schools in Volusia County, Wild said.

The organization recently promoted Buddy Taylor Middle School with $4,000 worth of instruments with the Kiwanis Club sponsoring, Wild said.

Wild founded Kids Rock the Nation after surviving a long battle with cancer.

“It was payback for the

gift of life I received,” he said. “We feel music is healing. To be involved in something is positive, but not every kid is a Little League kid or a soccer kid. This is a different avenue they can take.”

DAR honors Strong with 30year membership certificate

The Capt. James Ormond Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution recently honored Elizabeth Strong with a 30-year membership certificate at the chapter’s October meeting. Strong served as regent of the chapter twice. The DAR chapter also welcomed a new member, Claudia Colvin.

ISEA Innovations 2025 exhibit honors local artists at OMAM

The Ormond Memorial Art Museum is hosting Innovations 2025, the Interna-

tional Society of Experimental Artists’ 34th annual juried exhibition.

A total of 96 artworks in all mediums and styles from ISEA members now fill the museum’s main galleries. According to a press release, “Innovations” is ISEA’s premier annual exhibition.

“Experimental artists from across the globe explore, learn, and apply new techniques, new compositional approaches, and new concepts to create,” the press release states. “Whether realistic or abstract, an innovative approach to making art is applied.”

The exhibition opened on Sept. 17 and 22 awards were given. Award winners included nine Florida artists, six of whom are based in Central Florida, with two from Ormond Beach.

The local winners were:

„ Nancy McElroy, Ormond Beach — Honorable mention

„ Christine Peloquin, New Smyrna Beach — Juror Award

„ Kathy O’Meara, New Smyrna Beach — Merit Award

„ Robert Shirk, Ormond Beach; and Lillian Verkins, Altamonte Springs — Merit Award

“The challenge in jurying this exhibition was that each submission embodied experimentation in a distinct way,” said Meghan Martin, juror and gallery director of Arts on Douglas. “Each work presented elements of innovation, insight, and exploration. To assemble an exhibition that collectively reflects its focus, I considered both the artwork and the artists’ statements, as well as the questions they raised. In the end, I made selections that best embody the ISEA’s commitment to creative thinking, imagination, and experimentation.”

The exhibition will be on display through Nov. 30. OMAM is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 12-4 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is by donation.

Anthony Wild (second from right) with Buddy Taylor Middle School students who received new instruments last year.

Nancy McElroy, of Ormond Beach, with her piece, “Solo.”

Lillian Verkins, of Altamonte Springs, with the piece she made in collaboration with Ormond Beach resident Robert Shirk, “Red.” Courtesy photos

Elizabeth Strong and Regent Susan Demorsky.

REAL ESTATE

Breakaway Trails pool home sells for

$914K

Ahouse in Breakaway Trails at 19 Tomoka Cove Way was the top real estate transaction in Ormond Beach and Ormond-by-theSea for the week of Oct. 11-17. The house sold on Oct. 15, for $914,650. Built in 1996, the 4/3 has a fireplace, a pool, a spa and 3,798 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $495,000.

JARLEENE ALMENAS MANAGING EDITOR

Ann Rustin Estates

The house at 159 Ann Rustin Drive sold on Oct. 15, for $525,000. Built in 1967, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 2,072 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $333,000.

Fleming Fitch

The house at 771 Arroyo Parkway sold on Oct. 14, for $487,000. Built in 2003, the house is a 3/2 and has 2,168 square feet.

Halifax Plantation

The house at 1308 Mandan Lane sold on Oct. 14, for $527,500. Built in 1988, the house is a 3/2.5 and has a pool and 2,958 square feet. It last sold in 20004 for $230,000.

The house at 1404 Newry Circle sold on Oct. 17, for $575,000. Built in 2002, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,640 square feet.

New Britain

The townhome at 7 Bristol Lane sold on Oct. 15, for $281,000. Built in 1980, the townhome is a 2/2 and has 1,360 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $245,000.

Not in subdivision

The house at 808 S. Beach St. sold on Oct. 14, for $475,000. Built in 1952, the house is a 3/3 and has a fireplace and 2,470 square feet. It last sold in 2018 for $432,000.

Ormond Lakes

The house at 26 Wild Fern Lane sold on Oct. 16, for $402,500. Built in 2003, the house is a 4/2 and has 2,258

square feet. It last sold in 2003 for $218,300.

Royal Dunes

The house at 217 Royal Dunes Circle sold on Oct. 15, for $600,000. Built in 1962, the house is a 3/2.5 and has a pool, a spa and 1,876 square feet. It last sold in 2019 for $242,500.

Southern Pines

The house at 29 Chrysanthemum Drive sold on Oct. 16, for $382,000. Built in 2008, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,940 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $223,900.

The Trails The townhome at 311 Timberline Trail sold on Oct. 16, for $257,225. Built in 1981, the

WEST DAYTONA BEACH

Grande Champion

The house at 1007 Morfontain St. sold on Oct. 16, for $383,990. Built in 2025, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,828 square feet.

Latitude Margaritaville

The townhome at 304 Coral Reef Way sold on Oct. 14, for $425,000. Built in 2018, the townhome is a 2/2 and has 1,785 square feet. It last sold in 2018 for $293,700.

The townhome at 1024 Sea Shell Court sold on Oct. 17, for $414,500. Built in 2019, the townhome is a 2/2 and has 1,563 square feet. It last sold in 2019 for $255,800.

townhome is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,348 square feet. It last sold in 2016 for $144,000.

ORMOND-BY-THE-SEA

Ormond Ocean Gardens The house at 36 Margaret Road sold on Oct. 13, for $325,000. Built in 1957, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,363 square feet. It last sold in 2020 for $203,000.

Pelican Dunes The house at 111 Heron Dunes Drive sold on Oct. 15, for $542,000. Built in 2002, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,638 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $545,900.

Rivocean The house at 45 Rivocean Drive sold on Oct. 17, for $400,000. Built in 1963, the house is a 2/2 and has a pool and 1,026 square feet. It last sold in 2024 for $399,000.

Seabridge South The house at 24 Sea Gull Drive sold on Oct. 15, for $447,000. Built in 1985, the house is a 3/2 and has a fireplace and 1,500 square feet. It last sold in 2024 for $380,000.

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

The house at 957 Attitude Ave. sold on Oct. 17, for $445,000. Built in 2020, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,848 square feet. It last sold in 2021 for $399,000.

Lennar at Preserve at LPGA The house at 2291 Green Valley St. sold on Oct. 14, for $345,990. Built in 2025, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,487 square feet.

The house at 1207 Belle Isle Lane sold on Oct. 17, for $305,990. Built in 2025, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,429 square feet.

The house at 597 Beach Bum Blvd. sold on Oct. 15, for $549,900. Built in 2023, the house is a 2/2 and has 1,684 square feet.

ORMOND BEACH

A house in Palm Coast Plantation gets $1.1M

Ahouse at 97 S. Riverwalk Drive, in Palm Coast Plantation, was the top real estate transaction for Oct. 18-24 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. The house sold on Oct. 21, for $1,100,000. Built in 2012, the house is a 3/2.5 and has a pool, a hot tub, a fireplace, a boat dock, a boat lift and 3,032 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $799,000.

ALEXIS MILLER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

FLAGLER BEACH

Atlanta Beach Subdivision

A house at 2706 South Daytona Ave., sold on Oct. 21, for $540,000. Built in 2015, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,441 square feet. It sold in 2021 for $415,000.

Model Land Co

Subdivision

A house at 1335 North Daytona Ave., sold on Oct. 24, for $885,000. Built in 1990, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, a hot tub and 2,180 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $810,000.

PALM COAST

Cypress Knoll

A house at 20 Ethel Lane, sold on Oct. 24, for $305,000. Built in 2003, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,859 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $175,900.

A house at 21 Egret Trail, sold

3/2 and has a pool and 1,587 square feet. It sold in 2017 for $216,000.

A house at 5 Eisenhower Place, sold on Oct. 22, for $405,000. Built in 2004, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,598 square feet. It sold in 2004 for $235,000.

Hammock Beach

A house at 426 Bourganville Drive, sold on Oct. 24, for $805,718. Built in 2025, the house is a 3/3 and has 2,350 square feet.

Indian Trails

A house at 24 Bishop Lane, sold on Oct. 24, for $414,900. Built in 2025, the house is a 3/2.5 and has 2,208 square feet.

A house at 8 Laekside Place West, sold on Oct. 20, for $535,900. Built in 2004, the house is a 4/3 and has a pool and 2,344 square feet. It sold in 2025 for $415,000.

A house at 37 Lancaster Lane,

sold on Oct. 24, for $335,000. Built in 2025, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,654 square feet.

Palm Harbor A house at 14 Cottagegate Court, sold on Oct. 24, for $720,000. Built in 2002, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, a boat dock, a boat house and 1,921 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $720,100.

A house at 6 Cedardale Court, sold on Oct. 23, for $535,000. Built in 2006, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, a boat dock and 1,970 square feet.

Pine Lakes A house at 3 White Haven Lane, sold on Oct. 24, for $350,000. Built in 2024, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,832 square feet. It sold in 2024 for $346,000.

A house at 1 Walton Place, sold on Oct. 22, for $329,000. Built in 1996, the house is a 3/2 annd has 2,033 square feet.

Sawmill Branch A house at 157 Greenwood Drive, sold on Oct. 24, for $379,990. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/3 and has 2,033 square feet.

A house at 35 Sawdust Lane South, sold on Oct. 24, for $364,990. Built in 2025, the house is a 5/3 and has 2,030 square feet.

A house at 8 Mill Wheel Court South, sold on Oct. 24, for $295,000. Built in 2025, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,490 square feet.

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

BIZ BUZZ

Mini golf breaking ground in 2026, in Palm Coast’s Town Center

Serenity Falls Mini Golf, a high-tech 18-hole miniature golf course, will soon become the newest attraction in Town Center. The locally owned small business is set to break ground early next year on just over two acres of land directly across from Epic Theatres.

Valued at more than $1 million, this project marks another significant investment in Palm Coast’s up-and-coming Town Center district. Designed with a tropical, park-like feel, Serenity Falls Mini Golf will feature lush natural landscaping, sparkling waterfalls, and Key West–inspired architecture.

The course will include small concessions serving snacks, beer, and wine, as well as a 30-by-20-foot pavilion for hosting birthday parties, graduations, and other celebrations.

The site plan includes a parking lot, with additional street parking available nearby.

The course will be ADA accessible and designed with minimal water and sewer use, incorporating reclaimed water for its scenic ponds.

Miniature Golf Solutions will oversee construction. Once open, hours of operation are expected to be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

“This is exactly the kind of project we’ve envisioned for Town Center,” said Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri. “It’s something for all generations to enjoy and an example of how local entrepreneurship and thoughtful planning are coming together to bring our community’s vision to life. Seeing projects like Serenity Falls Mini Golf take shape shows that the

future we’ve been working toward in Palm Coast is becoming a reality.”

Steel Oak Coffee in Ormond Beach now open on Fridays

Steel Oak Coffee, a coffee roasted based in Ormond Beach, is extending its roastery’s public hours.

In addition from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, the roastery is now open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays. The expanded access comes after two of its small-lot coffees — Worka Sakaro, from Ethiopia, and El Oasis, from Colombia — each received 93-point scores during a blind tasting by independent reviewers at CoffeeReview.com, according to a press release.

“We’re excited to see two of our coffees recognized among the top tier by CoffeeReview. com,” said Carl Dupper, CEO and co-founder of Steel Oak. “Worka Sakaro and El Oasis come from small farms, and we roast them to highlight their natural complexity. Opening on Fridays lets more of our neighbors experience these coffees fresh off the roaster and gives us another day to connect with our incredible community.”

The roastery is located at 187 S. Yonge St. Customers can pick up beans, taste limitedrelease drinks and learn about

Wire 3 completes construction in Volusia County

Wire 3, a Florida-based fiber internet provider, recently announced that construction is complete in its initial service areas throughout Volusia County. After two years of construction, the company is now serving Ormond Beach, Ormondby-the-Sea, Daytona Beach, Edgewater, Holly Hill and New Smyrna Beach, a result of its privately funded $50 million starting investment, according to a press release.

“By fully completing initial plans for Volusia County, we have equipped six communities and countless Floridians with access to a future-proof network that will prepare them for the online needs of the future,” said Jai Ramachandran, CEO of Wire 3. “Through our continued expansions, we look forward to lighting up more areas throughout the Sunshine State.” Wire 3 offers up to 10 gigabits per second, the press release states. Future expansion plans include Deltona and DeLand through an additional $60 million investment. Send business news to brent@observerlocalnews.com.

A new mini golf attraction is planned near Epic Theatres in Palm Coast’s Town Center. Photo by Anna Tarazevich/Pexels

SPORTS

Making their case

Matanzas crushes Palm Bay, awaits word on playoffs.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

It was a milestone night for several Matanzas football players in what may have been their last home game of the season.

The Pirates ended their regular season with a 41-14 victory over Palm Bay on Thursday, Oct. 30, and now await word on whether their season’s resumé and 7-3 record will be good enough to be selected for an at-large playoff berth. Several individual milestones were reached. Senior quarterback Cole Walker became the first Matanzas player to surpass 2,000 yards passing in a season. Junior running back Wiley Conner rushed for 203 yards on 22 carries against Palm Bay to become the first Matanzas player since 2016 to run for over 1,000 yards in a season.

Senior receiver Ladarien Baker topped 1,000 yards receiving in his career.

And senior defensive back Jaden Dormevil scored the first touchdown of his varsity career. For good measure, Dormevil added the second touchdown of his career, too.

“It was a great game. I’m glad our seniors and our team got to win at home,” Matanzas coach Matt Forrest said. “Hopefully the postseason’s coming.”

The Pirates entered the game ranked 10th in Region 1-5A. There are eight playoff spots in each region with automatic berths awarded to the four district champs and four at-large spots awarded to the next highest ranked teams by the Florida High School Athletic Association.

So, Matanzas has to move up at least two spots. But making things even more difficult, is that the No. 9 team, Tallahassee Lincoln, is a district champ and is automatically in.

The playoff brackets will be announced by the FHSAA

“It’s not an individual sport, it’s a team sport. And this team is very special. We all come from different places, but we’re able to adapt and come together as one and fight hard, because we know the work that we put in. I feel like we’re a very special group, and y’all got to see that on display tonight.”

JADEN DORMEVIL

onThursday, Nov. 6, two days after the deadline for teams to play makeup games.

“We did all we could do, and there’s a lot of scenarios out there, but I feel like we’re a playoff team, and I still feel that whatever the ranking metrics are, we’re one of the best in our region, and I think we’re one of the best in 5A in the state,” Forrest said.

The Pirates finished the season with four straight wins. Of their three losses, one came to the top-ranked team in the region in Mainland; and another came to a Class 7A team, Flagler Palm Coast. Matanzas’ third loss was an upset by Seabreeze, which finished its season at 5-5.

“I don’t see how we’re not in, and I think the metrics should reflect that,” Forrest said. “But we’ve done all we can do and, and we’ve got to play the waiting game now.”

The Pirates will be practicing next week, Forrest said. If they do not receive a playoff spot, they could receive a bid to play in the new Florida Invitational Tournament,

which will have three 16-team brackets — one for the state’s rural class, one for teams in Class 1A to 3A and another for teams in Class 4A to 7A.

TWO DEFENSIVE TDs FOR DORMEVIL

Dormevil and senior Jordan Schendorf each scored two touchdowns against the Palm Bay Pirates (2-8). Schendorf ran in from 3 yards on a direct snap and caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Walker. He almost scored a third but was stripped just before the goal line for a touchback.

Dormevil scored on a 37-yard strip-and-scoop fumble return on the first play of the third quarter and then added a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. He also had a long punt return to inside the Palm Bay 5-yard line, but a penalty for an illegal block brought it back to the 45.

“What a story,” Forrest said of the senior defensive back.

“That young man has grown up so much since being in our football program. He was the one that they scored their first touchdown on (an 89-yard catch and run by Palm Bay’s Tim Sedaros in the first quarter that tied the score at 7-7).

He knew he made a mistake, and coming out of halftime, he got me on the sideline, and he said, ‘Coach, that’s my fault. I’m sorry, I’m going to

get that one back. And two plays later, he’s running into the end zone with a strip and a recovery for a touchdown. And then after the second one, he said, ‘I told you I was going to get one, but I got you another one.’ It was an awesome job by him, a great individual effort. I’m very proud of that young man.”

Cole Walker hands off to Wiley Conner. Photos by Keishia McLendon

Matanzas running back Wiley Conner (34) ran for 203 yards to surpass 1,000 for the season.

Matanzas senior linebacker Nick Yacono (18) makes the tackle.

Devin Williams scored Matanzas’ final touchdown on a 19-yard run.

Jaden Dormevil returns a fumble for a touchdown.

Fleming Island’s furious fourth-quarter comeback deflates FPC

behind victory over Flagler Palm Coast on Friday, Oct. 31. FPC could also have its season extended with a possible selection to the new Florida Invitational Tournament.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Fleming Island may earn a playoff spot with help from its furious come-from-

The Golden Eagles scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to defeat the Bulldogs 26-25 on FPC’s Senior Night. Fleming Island took its first lead of the game with its final touchdown — a 3-yard run by Sebastian Cruz with 28.9 seconds left.

FPC ended its regular season with a 3-7 record, but its strength of schedule, which is ranked seventh among Class 7A teams and 20th overall in

the state, could be enough to land the Bulldogs a spot in the FIT, which will pit 16 nonplayoff teams in three brackets: rural class, Class 1A-3A teams and Class 4A-7A teams.

The Eagles improved to 6-3 with a makeup game scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 4, against Beachside, which is also in the Region 1-5A playoff picture. The Florida High School Athletic Association will announce postseason selections and pairings at 2 p.m., Nov. 6. The playoffs begin Nov. 14.

The Bulldogs were in control of the game against the Eagles until everything blew up in a disastrous fourth quarter for FPC.

Fleming Island trailed 25-7 entering the final quarter. A Bulldogs fumble set up a 16-yard touchdown run by the Eagles’ Zion Longmire to

“It’s

PATRICK TURNER, FPC football coach

make it 25-13 with 9:40 left.

Fleming Island recovered a pooch kick to get the ball back and scored again with 7:08 left to make it 25-20.

After FPC punted, Fleming Island drove 45 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. The drive was kept alive by a fourth-down pass interference penalty called against FPC in the end zone.

The pass landed well out of bounds. FPC coach Patrick Turner said officials did not tell him if they ruled that the intended receiver was pushed out of bounds while the ball was in the air.

“They didn’t give any explanation on what it was,” Turner said.

FPC drove from its own 26 to the Fleming Island 39 in the final 28.9 seconds, but quarterback La’Darius Simmons was sacked as time ran out.

The difference in the game turned out to be Fleming Island’s blocked extra point after FPC’s first touchdown early in the game.

Darwin Harris rushed for three touchdowns for the Bulldogs. Ehimen Ajede also ran for a touchdown. Simmons ran for 149 yards and passed for 58. He was sacked three times. The Bulldogs totaled 339 yards of offense

while holding the Golden Eagles to 216 yards. But FPC was also penalized 13 times for 111 yards.

“It’s a tough loss,” Turner said. “The kids played hard for the entire game. Even at the end, they played hard. I can’t take anything away from their effort and their passion. We just came up on the wrong side of it. But we had way too many penalties, and penalties just come back to bite you. We could be a really, really good football team if we would just stop the penalties.”

Ironically, FPC’s loss could have also hurt Matanzas’ chances of receiving a playoff bid. The Golden Eagles were ranked eighth in Region 1-5A, while the Pirates were ranked 10th entering their games. The Matanzas Pirates football Facebook account posted on the afternoon of the FPC game: “Palm Coast and @ FlaglerSchools got one heartbeat tonight. From the Pirates to the Bulldogs @FPCHSFootball Go handle business and bring it home for Flagler County.”

La’Darius Simmons runs a quarterback keeper.

FPC’s Logan Jacobelli (19) leaps for a pass.

Nolan Caliendo catches a punt. Photos by Keishia McLendon

The FPC band performs on Senior Night.

Jennifer Whaley, BC-HIS Heather Curry, HIS

When “Set It and Forget It” Doesn’t Work for Your

Estate Plan

Scott A. Selis, Esq.

Scott A. Selis is an estate planning and elder law attorney with offices in Ormond Beach & Palm Coast.

Mr. Selis was an Elder Law

Attorney of the Year selected by the Florida Bar’s Elder Law Section in 2016.

We all love a good “set it and forget it” moment. The crockpot, the automatic sprinkler system, maybe even your Netflix subscription. Unfortunately, your estate plan isn’t one of those things.

Too many people treat their will or trust like an old photo album — dust it off once, feel good about it, and never look again. But life changes, and if your documents don’t keep up, your plan may end up protecting the you from 10 years ago instead of the you today.

Major life events demand updates. Marriage, divorce, births, deaths, and moves across state lines all have legal consequences. Florida’s laws on homestead property, elective share, and healthcare decisions can make an outdated will about as useful as a VCR manual. If your daughter’s married name isn’t in your documents, or your ex-spouse still is, that’s a sign you’re overdue.

Your assets change, too. Maybe you sold the condo, bought a boat, or decided cryptocurrency was a good idea (we won’t judge). If your estate plan doesn’t reflect what you actually own, your heirs may end up guessing — and guessing usually leads to arguing.

Relationships evolve. The person you trusted as your executor ten years ago may have since moved to Montana, taken up meditation, and sworn off paperwork. Make sure your chosen helpers are still willing, able, and alive.

A good rule of thumb: review your plan every three to five years, or whenever something big happens — new spouse, new child, new state, or new asset that rhymes with “Bitcoin.” Small updates now prevent expensive surprises later.

At Selis Law Firm, we like to think of estate planning as routine maintenance for your peace of mind — like changing the oil in your car, except with fewer wrenches and more witnesses.

So pull those documents out of the drawer, dust them off, and let’s make sure your plan still fits your life. Because unlike your slow cooker, your legacy deserves a little more than “set it and forget it.”

Phone: 386-888-6060

Web: SelisLaw.com

Serving Clients throughout Florida

Offices – Ormond Beach & Palm Coast

2x: Seabreeze boys repeat as state bowling champs

Seabreeze wins second straight state boys bowling championship

MICHELE MEYERS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It was déjà vu for the Seabreeze boys bowling team.

The Sandcrabs collected their state championship medals and posed for photos with the trophy at the Boardwalk Bowl Entertainment Center in Orlando, just as they had done a year ago.

The Sandcrabs won the title in 2024. They clinched it again on Thursday, Oct. 30, with a 199-191 final Baker game victory against the Astronaut High School of Titusville.

With a team of five bowlers and no substitutes, Paul Shuler coached his team through four games of qualifying, four rounds of Baker matches and a two-match final.

“We were all kind of worried since we didn’t have any substitutes to go in like most other teams coming into the state (tournament),” Shuler said. “But they persevered and pushed and they never, ever gave up. Even when they were down a little bit or they [had] a bad game, they’d come right back with something. I’m just so wicked proud of these boys.”

Seabreeze won 3-0 against St. Petersburg Northeast in round one, then went on to win 3-2 in consecutive rounds against Windermere, Sports Leadership and Management of Tampa and Somerset which included a two-pin win in the last Baker game.

The Sandcrabs were undefeated in the double-elimination team bracket going into the final against Astronaut, which came out of the consolation bracket. The War Eagles won the first match 3-1. Seabreeze then won the second match 3-2 to clinch the championship.

“The boys were pretty motivated to do their very best to win. They really wanted to win this state again — to make it two times,” Shuler said.

Mainland, the district runner-up to Seabreeze, joined the Sandcrabs at the threeday tournament. Following the qualification rounds, Seabreeze was seeded No. 6 and Mainland seeded No. 12.

Senior Jonathan King joined the four returning Sandcrabs from last year’s championship team —Dalton Boice, Logan Compton, Braydon Russell and Xavier Suba — this year. He said his dad got him interested and his friend Ryan Barnes sent him a video about how to hold the ball. Shuler said King started learning then became more consistent and filled in perfectly for the team.

“My dad used to bowl 20 years ago,” King said. “He got his stuff out [of] the shed.

I tried it. Loved it. Started bowling practice and played so many games every day. It’s paid off.”

Boice said without King, going to the state championship would not have been possible.

“Just amazing,” Boice said.

“There’s no way else to put it. We have a five-man team. If it wasn’t for [King], we wouldn’t even have had a chance to do this. He not only bowls, but he just bowls at such a high level, not even for how long he’s been bowling. If it wasn’t for him, none of this would have been possible.”

After the War Eagles won the final round’s first Baker match, Boice, the Sandcrabs’ anchor bowler, gathered his teammates in a circle, pointed to the 2024 State Championship banner with Seabreeze listed as the winner and repeatedly questioned if they wanted it. The “pep talk” helped the Sandcrabs win the final match to repeat as state champs.

Boice said he had to get his

team fired up.

“It looked like we were just losing morale, especially after losing 3-2 — we’re not used to that,” Boice said. “Last year,

that didn’t even happen in the finals. We just won without needing a second life. But, this time, we needed a second life. We came down to one and we just gave it every single thing that we had.”

Boice said being older, more experienced and having the “best coach and best teammates in the entire world” contributed to his success in the 10th frame.

“They support me if I make a bad shot in the 10th frame ... they’re not yelling at me,” he said. “They’re not wanting to sub out and put someone else in. They trust me. And that just goes to having a great coach and great teammates who just believe, and that’s why we won two years in a row.”

This was Mainland’s first appearance at the state championships with Joe Giddens, who has been coaching the

team for three years. The Bucs were eliminated in the first round after losing 3-1 to the Melbourne Bulldogs.

“I’m just so super happy for these guys — I have a great group of kids,” Giddens said. “There were some really good bowlers here. But I’ve got a young team, so I plan on being back.”

Giddens, who is also Mainland’s boys basketball coach, said building rapport with his athletes carries over to performance.

“What I love, more importantly, is not just winning,” he said. “A little bit of motivation that I give on a basketball court and in bowling can help them in life. I’m not really a coach, a basketball coach or a bowling coach, I’m more of a life coach because if I can coach the life, sports just becomes easier. That’s just what I do.”

Seabreeze bowler Xavier Subia celebrates another strike during the final Baker matches

Left: Mainland’s Grashawn Ager celebrates a strike.

Above: Mainland’s Riley Boyce practices before the championship bracket rounds.

The Sandcrabs clinched the title on Oct. 30, with a 199-191 final Baker game victory against Astronaut High School of Titusville.

Seabreeze’s Dalton Boice

FPC girls bowling misses final cut by one pin; Matanzas’ Rabbat is 12th

The Bulldogs finished 17th in their second straight appearance at states, while Rabbat moved up 65 places from last year’s finish.

MICHELE MEYERS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Flagler Palm Coast was one pin away from qualifying for the girls team championship rounds at the state bowling championships Oct. 28-30 at Boardwalk Bowl Entertainment Center in Orlando.

FPC placed 17th in the qualifying standings with a 2,804 pin total. Groveland South Lake took the 16th and final spot with a total of 2,805 pins. Matanzas placed 23rd in the qualifying standings.

Matanzas senior Olivia Rabbat placed 12th in the individual finals. She qualified for the championship bracket with a 791 four-game series to earn the 13th seed.

Rabbat lost to Melbourne’s Isabella Williamson in the first round of finals, and then won a consolation match against Emily Marmolejo of East River before getting eliminated by East River’s Larielle Tharps, who went on to win three more rounds before losing in the consolation final.

Rabbat placed 77th in her first trip to state last year.

FPC’s first-year coach Vicky Eaton said it was very exciting to see the Bulldogs compete this year, win the District 1 championship and advance to state.

“They did amazing,” she said. “We’ve had one injury this year and, of course, regular illnesses, but we got through all of that. We made it. It’s hard because there are not a lot of girl teams. A lot of times, we’d go to matches and there’d be no other team to play but we would always make sure that we bowled our games, so we that we got in the mindset.”

Eaton said the Bulldogs faced some adversity during multiple qualifying rounds at Boardwalk Bowl when the lanes shut down, pins failed to rack and balls were not returned.

“Losing by one pin was devastating, but I never would have imagined, coming into states, that we would have the obstacles that we had,” she said. “You lose your drive, lose your momentum. I think that’s one thing that we need to be more prepared for — just like games outside, you’re not always going to have perfect weather or the perfect day. That’s something that my team has got to learn to overcome.”

Matanzas coach Jennifer Warren said her focus this year was to get the entire team to advance to districts for the first time.

“Last year, when we were here [with only Rabbat qualifying], it was really cool and really exciting, but I felt like it wasn’t as much fun because we were so lonely,” Warren said. “So, my focus all year was to try to get a team together that would advance to districts so there would be people around [Rabbat]. I am so proud of Olivia. She really stepped up this year, attending the practices and mentoring the other bowlers. I think she felt, as well, that she needed that support of others.”

Warren is losing her two top bowlers in seniors Rabbat and Sky Ramos.

“Moving forward, I currently work for Indian trails Middle School, so I really need to start developing a team for next year,” she said. “That’s where my thinking is right now, maybe doing a bowling club at the middle school, something to feed into the high school next year.”

“I am so proud of Olivia (Rabbat). She really stepped up this year, attending the practices and mentoring the other bowlers.”

NOVEMBER 15 . 3-6PM

JENNIFER WARREN, Matanzas girls bowling coach

The Matanzas girls bowling team (left to right): Skyleen Ramos, Mady Hate, Natalie Beaulieu (back), Emma Ball and Julia McNeal cheer for teammate Olivia Rabbat as she competes in round one of the individual matches at the FHSAA state championship tournament in Orlando on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

Photos by Michele Meyers

Flagler Palm Coast Bulldog Mya Kelly

Flagler Palm Coast boys bowling coach Kevin Hand FPC’s Destiny Bonvouloir

FPC’s Kailyn Ball and Victoria DaSilva-Carvalheira

Seabreeze falls to NSB 3-1 in opener

Luke Harrell scored the Sandcrabs’ lone goal.

SIDNEY TEVIN

CONTRIBUTING

WRITER

The Seabreeze High School boys soccer team began the season with a tough challenge, falling 3-1 to New Smyrna Beach High School on Monday, Nov. 3. New Smyrna Beach jumped ahead quickly, scoring three goals in the first half and putting Seabreeze on its heels. The Sandcrabs regrouped, with team captain Luke Harrell scoring a goal, but couldn’t overcome the deficit.

FPC girls win 3-0 over St. Augustine

Ouellette scored two goals, and Macleod returned from injury to score for the first time since 2023-24 season.

BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Flagler Palm Coast’s first girls soccer game of the season is in the books with a 3-0 home win over St. Augustine on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Coach Pete Hald, starting his 35th season with the Bulldogs, recorded his 543rd career win. Katherine Ouellette scored two goals. Lauralee Macleod, playing her first game in nearly a year because of a seasonending injury, also scored. And senior goalkeeper Natalie Neal produced her 29th career clean sheet.

“We won, but it was a bat-

tle,” Hald said. “They have some talented players that work hard and got some pace. I think the strength of our team is finding our wingers (Ouellette and Macleod), and I thought we did a pretty good job.”

Trying to compensate for the loss of Ivy Chen, who is out for the season with a torn ACL, Hald moved midfielder Hailey Sammons to center forward and center back Eva Sites to a holding midfield spot along with Skyler Strickland.

“Moving Hailey to the top is risky for us, but I think she gives us the best choice,” Hald said. “I pulled Eva forward, so I could put Hailey up top. And it worked out for the most part. Eva’s kind of not used to that position, but I think she will be a really good holding mid because she’s a dynamite center back. She’s smart, she reads the play and she’s got

pace. I think she’s going to have a really good year.”

Neal, a Daytona State College commit, made some outstanding saves in the first half to preserve the shutout.

“I wouldn’t say I was surprised. They were very good shots, but I feel like I had it on lock,” she said. “I’m glad they were good shots, so it’s not like very boring the entire game.”

One shot across the box was a close call.

“The girl was right there,” Neal said. “I did handle it, but if I didn’t she was right there to tap it in.” Neal is a four-year starter who has played in 67 games in her varsity career.

“She’s just super consistent. She knows the position well,” Hald said. “She’s a senior, and she’s playing like a senior.”

Macleod, a junior, scored the third goal of the first half and her first since her freshman season.

“It felt good to score,” she said.

“Hailey played it through the middle, and I took two touches, and then I shot it on the net. It was very nice. But I was upset that I didn’t score two other goals that were very easy.”

Hald said he is happy to finally get the season started and play some meaningful games.

“It’s been a long few months. Since the first week of June, we’ve been trying to get ready for today,” he said. “We met over 70 times since June up to the Thursday before tryouts. A lot of kids worked hard. I’m relieved the season is here, but now it’s going to be a grind.”

The Bulldogs were scheduled to travel to DeLand on Wednesday, Nov. 5, and return home Friday, Nov. 7, for a game against Jacksonville Wolfson.

Hailey Sammons (17) took over the center forward position in the Bulldogs’ season opener, a 3-0 win against St. Augustine. Photos by Brent Woronoff

Lane Meyer scans for teammates.

Luke Harrell (6) with the ball. Photos by Sydney Tevin

Goalkeeper Conor Gould delivers a kick.

Rocco Dall’Orto (17)

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2025

FPC’s Nya Williams dominates in girls weightlifting season opener

Bulldogs were second to Fleming Island in both competitions in the tri-meet.

BRENT WORONOFF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Flagler Palm Coast weightlifter Nya Williams has picked up where she left off last season.

The 119-pound lifter was FPC’s only double winner in the Bulldogs’ girls weightlifting season opener on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

FPC hosted Fleming Island and DeLand in a tri-meet.

Fleming Island, last season’s Class 2A state champ in Olympic competition, won both Olympic and traditional in the season opener, with FPC placing second in both. Williams had the highest Olympic total of any lifter in the meet in all weight classes

with 340 pounds. She also totaled 340 in traditional, which was the third highest total in that competition.

“The original plan was not to push her today,” FPC coach Duane Hagstrom said. “But the snatch was looking so snappy and quick, and everything looked great, so against my better judgment, I made a 20-pound jump between her second and her third lifts, because her goal this year is not just to win [a state championship], but to break the state records in both the snatch and clean and jerk. And right now, she’s five pounds away from both.”

She missed that third snatch attempt of 160 pounds, but her 140-pound snatch and 200-pound clean-and-jerk for 340 was 80 pounds more than the second-place total of Fleming Island’s Loreanis Maysonet.

“We went for the state record on the third (snatch),” Hagstrom said. “She caught it. She just got a little soft and loosened up at the bottom. But it will be there.”

Williams also had a 140-pound bench press to go with her clean-and-jerk for her 340 traditional total, which was 65 pounds more than the second-place total of Fleming Island’s Alyssa Gordon.

Williams, a junior, was the runner-up at the Class 3A state championships last season in Olympic with a 320 total and placed fourth in traditional with a 315 total. In June, she won three gold med-

Pirates win opener

Matanzas defeated Menendez 58-25 in Olympic competition at the teams’ girls weightlifting season opener on Oct. 29 at the Pirates’ gym. The teams did not do bench press. In

als in the women’s U17 age group at the USA Weightlifting National Championships in Colorado Springs.

Angelis Rosa and Kelsey Coyne were the Bulldogs’ only other winners in the season opener. Rosa won at 110 pounds in Olympic with a 195 total. Coyne won at 183 pounds in Olympic with a 260 total. Rosa, Lillian Ames (139 pounder) and Lynnsie Jones (183 pounder) all placed second in traditional. Alexcia Lilavois (101 pounder), Ames and Cali Weehunt (154 pounder) placed second in Olympic.

Hagstrom said the Bulldogs concentrate on the Olympic lifts in training, but they have been a little behind in their results in the snatch.

“We’ve been struggling on the snatch a little bit with our confidence,” he said. “It got better today, but when we go to the clean and jerk, it’s like

a completely different gear gets shifted or something. In clean and jerks today, we had girls doing 10 pounds more than they’ve ever done before, with good technique and with more in the tank. We need that mindset to kind of rub off on the snatch. We train it just as much as we do the clean and jerk. I guess it’s just the idea of that bar going over your head in one motion.”

The Bulldogs will host another tri-meet on Wednesday, Nov. 5, against Spruce Creek and Father Lopez.

Chloe Cheek (101), Elaine Padilla (155), Amara Nagel (119), Addison Hoeni (129), Jordyn Crews (139, Olivia Hueg (154), Katelyn Meade (183), Ella Raffo (199) and D’eria Hughes (unlimited) won their weight classes. Elle Bays of Menendez at 169 pounds had the top lifts of

170 (snatch) and 185 (cleanand-jerk) for a 345 total. Crews was next overall with a 115, 155 for a 260 total. In Seabreeze’s season-opening meet against Spruce Creek, Sandcrabs’ 129-pounder Camila Arellano won both Olympic (250-pound total) and traditional (280) titles.

FPC 154-pounder Makayla Melton hit all of her bench press lifts including this one at 135 pounds. Photo by Brent Woronoff

FPC’s Nya Williams cheers for a teammate during a bench press.

Photo by Brent Woronoff

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Fri 11/7 & Sat 11/8 9-4

Mail resume to Anna Colon Negron at 900 Hope Way, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714.

IMPORTANT DATES:

The above is to be published in the Business Observer. 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 within sixty (60) days after the sale. If you are a person with a

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE OF SALE IN THE COUNTY COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR FLAGLER COUNTY, FLORIDA CIRCUIT CIVIL DIVISION CASE NO.: 2025-CA-000526 NATIONAL MAINTENANCE AND, BUILD OUT COMPANY, LLC. A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Plaintiff, vs. RELATED DEVELOPMENT GROUP, LLC. A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, Defendant. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to an Order of Final Judgement of foreclosure dated September 30, 2025, and entered in Case No.: 2025-CA-000526 of the Circuit Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit in and for Flagler County, Florida, wherein the property will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash at www.flagler.realforeclose. com, the Clerk’s website for on-line auctions at 11:00 a.m. on the 14th day of November, 2025, the following described property as set forth in said Order or Final Judgement, to wit: UNIT A104, Grand Vista Condominium at Grand Haven, Phase 1, according to the Declaration of Condominium recorded in Official Records Book 2835, page 150, and all exhibits and amendments thereof, Public Records of Flagler County, Florida.

PARCEL ID: 22-11-31-3995-00C10A104

PROPERTY ADDRESS: 455 RIVERFRONT DR. UNIT A104, Palm Coast, Florida 32137

The above is to be published in the Business Observer. 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 within sixty (60) days after the sale. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodations in order to participate in these proceedings, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provisions of certain assistance. Please contact ADA Coordinator at least 7 days before your scheduled appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711. Respectfully Submitted, Charles R. Pinson, Esq. Pinson Law, P.A. 7821 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Ste 110 Tampa, FL 33614 Phone: (813) 574-7736 Fax: (813) 200-1057 Charles@pinsonlawpa.com Fla. Bar No.: 125279 Attorney for Plaintiff November 6, 13, 2025 25-00274G

FIRST INSERTION

ANCILLARY NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR FLAGLER COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2025-CP-000573 Division: 48 IN RE: ESTATE OF JOHN COUTO, Deceased.

The Ancillary Administration of the Estate of John Couto, deceased, whose date of death was September 4, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Flagler County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 1769 E. Moody Boulevard, Bldg. #1, Bunnell, Florida 32110. The names and addresses of the Ancillary Personal Representative and the Ancillary 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 Ancillary 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 Sections 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under Section 732.2211, Florida Statutes. 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 November 6, 2025.

Ancillary Personal Representative: Ashley Couto-Tewell 113 Whittaker Drive Stonington, CT 06378

CUMMINGS & LOCKWOOD LLC

Attorney for

Ancillary Personal Representative

Matthew N. Turko, Esq.

Florida Bar No. 30621

Karina N. Leon, Esq. Florida Bar No. 1033856

3001 PGA Boulevard, Suite 104 Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 Telephone: (561) 214-8500

E-mail Addresses: mturko@cl-law.com; knleon@cl-law.com; jjernigan@cl-law.com 8786151.1 November 6, 13, 2025 25-00275G

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR FLAGLER COUNTY, FLORIDA FILE NUMBER 2025 CP 000685 DIVISION 48 IN RE ESTATE OF CYNTHIA A. HARKLESS Deceased

The administration of the estate of CYN-

THIS A. HARKLESS, deceased, whose date of death was February 17, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Flagler County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 1769 E Moody Blvd Building #1, Bunnell, FL 32110. The names and addresses of 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 claim 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 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, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. 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 November 6, 2025. Personal Representative: Bethany Draugelat, 139 North Starling Dr., Palm Coast, Florida 32164

Attorney of Personal Representative: Melvin D. Stack E-mail Addresses: Mel@melstack.com Tyra@melstack.com

Florida Bar No. 0297798

Every & Stack 444 Seabreeze Blvd., Suite 1003

Daytona Beach, FL 32118

Telephone: (386) 255-1925 November 6, 13, 2025 25-00276G

FIRST INSERTION NOTICE to CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR FLAGLER COUNTY FLORIDA FILE NUMBER 2025 CP 000607 DIVISION 48 IN RETHE ESTATE OF LINDA P. HIGGINBOTHAM, also known as LINDA PROPER HIGGINBOTHAM Deceased

The administration of the estate of LINDA P. HIGGINBOTHAM, also known as LINDA PROPER HIGGINBOTHAM, deceased, whose date of death was August 31, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for FLAGLER County, Florida, Probate Division; the address of which is 1769 East Moody Boulevard, Building 1, Bunnell, Florida 32110. The name and address 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 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 November 6, 2025.

Personal Representative: Melvin D. Stack 444 Seabreeze Boulevard, Suite 1003 Daytona Beach, Florida 32118

Attorney for Personal Representative: Melvin D. Stack Florida Bar No. 0297798 444 Seabreeze Boulevard, Suite 1003 Daytona Beach, Florida 32118

Telephone: (386) 255-1925

Facsimile: (386) 255-9118 E-Mail:

THE BONDS AND LEVY OF ASSESSMENTS HEREIN DESCRIBED, OR TO BE AFFECTED IN ANY WAY THEREBY, Defendants. TO: The State of Florida and the several taxpayers, property owners and citizens of Lighthouse Community Development District, including non-residents owning property or subject to taxation therein, and others having or claiming any rights, title or interest in property to be affected by the issuance of not to exceed $36,410,000.00 aggregate principal amount of Lighthouse Community Development District (Flagler County, Florida) Special Assessment Revenue Bonds,

Lighthouse Community Development District (Flagler County, Florida) Special Assess-

ment Revenue Bonds, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $36,410,000.00 (the “Bonds”), to determine the legality of the proceedings had and taken in connec-

FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED, that the Clerk of this Court, is hereby required to give notice of such hearing by publishing a copy of this Order in The Palm Coast Observer, a newspaper of general circulation of Flagler County, Florida, once each week for two (2) consecutive weeks prior to

AND

the issuance of the Bonds; (ii) the proceedings essential to the Bonds, including, without limitation, the Special Assessments pledged for the payment of the principal, and interest thereon, and the Bond Resolution (as defined in the Complaint) are valid and in conformity with law; (iii) upon due issuance of the Bonds in conformance with the Bond Resolution and the Trust Indenture (as defined in the Complaint), the Bonds will constitute valid and binding obligations of the District and will be enforceable by their terms as established by the Bond Resolution and the Trust Indenture; and (iv) this Court grant such other relief as is just and appropriate. The aforesaid Complaint having been presented to this Court, and this Court being fully advised in the premises: IT IS ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the State of Florida, through the State Attorney of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, in and for Flagler County, Florida, and the several taxpayers, property owners and citizens of Lighthouse Community Development District, including non-residents owning property or subject to taxation therein, and others having or claiming any rights, title or interest in property to be affected by the issuance of the Bonds or to be affected thereby, be and they are each required to show cause if any there be, before the Honorable Sandra C. Upchurch, Circuit Court Judge, on the 2nd day of December 2025 at 10:30

and that this Court shall have jurisdiction of them to the same extent as if specifically and personally named as defendants in said Complaint and personally served with process in this cause.

DONE AND ORDERED in chambers, in Flagler County, Florida, on 27 day of October, 2025.

of January, 2026, the following described property as set forth in said Final Judgment, to wit: LOT 19, BLOCK 30, SUBDIVISION MAP PINE GROVE - SECTION-28 PALM COAST, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED

LONG AND ANNIE M SPELLS COMMUNITIES PALATKA HOUSING AUTHORITY PALATKA, FLORIDA Bids must be submitted to the attention of Ms. Willie Mae Thomas, Director of Capital Funds Operations in a sealed envelope, ‘AIR CONDITIONING REPLACEMENT AT NORTHSIDE HOMES, PALATKA HOUSING AUTHORITY.’ Faxed bids will not be considered. All work shall be executed in accordance with the instruction and contract documents prepared by CRG Architects/Palatka, Inc., 216A St. Johns Avenue, Palatka, FL 32177, Telephone No. 386-325-0213. Bid documents are available via email by calling CRG Architects/Palatka, Inc., 386325-0213. Bid Bond and Performance and Payment Bonds will be required. There will be a Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference on November 6, 2025 at 09:00 a.m. at the Palatka Housing Authority Main Office, located at 400 N. 15th St, Palatka, FL. Attendance is recommended and all bidders or their representatives are highly encouraged to attend. The Palatka Housing Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive any informalities thereto. This is an Equal Opportunity Project. For the Palatka Housing Authority, Palatka, Florida Oct. 30, Nov. 6 25-00402F

SECOND INSERTION NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE 7TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR FLAGLER COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2025 CP 000606 IN RE: ESTATE OF LORRAINE M MAGOON, Deceased, The administration of the estate of LORRAINE MARY MAGOON, Deceased, whose date of death was August 24, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for FLAGLER County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Kim C. Hammond Justice Center, 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Building #1, Burnell, FL 32110. The names and addresses of the Co-Personal Representatives and their 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 WITHIN 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 SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE 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.

SECOND INSERTION

PLAINTIFF’S NOTICE OF ACTION IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR FLAGLER COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2025 CA 000468 DIVISION: 49 JEFFREY EPHRAIM, Plaintiff, v. NUHA EPHRAIM; MOUFAK N. EPHRAIM; ADEL N. EPHRAIM; THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, OR AGAINST SELMA ABBULNOOR A/K/A SELMA ABDULNOOR; THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, OR AGAINST SALIM N. EPHRAIM; THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, OR AGAINST GHANIM N. EPHRAIM; THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, OR AGAINST RAINA HAYALY; ADEL EPHRAIM, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS TRUSTEE OF THE TESTAMENTARY TRUST OF SALIM N. EPHRAIM CREATED UNDER THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF SALIM N. EPHRAIM DATED AUGUST 27, 1987; SA’AD ELIYA A/K/A SAAD ELIYA, Defendants.

TO: THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, OR AGAINST SELMA ABBULNOOR A/K/A SELMA ABDULNOOR; THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS CLAIMING

A personal representative or curator 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 732.216-732.228, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under section 732.2211. The date of first publication of this notice is October 30, 2025. /s/ WAYNE MAGOON, Co-Personal Representative /s/ CYNTHIA ERICKSON, Co-Personal Representative /s/ Scott R. Bugay, Esquire Attorney for the Co-Personal Representatives Florida Bar No. 5207 2501 Hollywood Blvd. Suite 206 Hollywood, FL 33020 Telephone: (954) 767-3399 Fax: (305) 945-2905

Primary Email: Scott@srblawyers.com

Secondary Email: Jennifer@srblawyers.com Oct. 30; Nov. 6, 2025 25-00269G

SECOND INSERTION INVITATION TO BID AIR CONDITIONING REPLACEMENT AT NORTHSIDE HOMES AND MADISON COURT COMMUNITIES PALATKA HOUSING AUTHORITY

Sealed bids will be received by the Palatka Housing Authority, 400 North 15th Street, Palatka, FL 32177 until 11:00 a.m., November 25, 2025, at which time all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud in the Board Room at the Palatka Housing Authority, for furnishing all labor and materials and performing all work necessary and incidental to the following project: AIR CONDITIONING REPLACEMENT AT NORTHSIDE HOMES and MADISON COURT COMMUNITIES PALATKA HOUSING AUTHORITY PALATKA, FLORIDA

Bids must be submitted to the attention of Ms. Willie Mae Thomas, Director of Capital Funds Operations in a sealed envelope, ‘AIR CONDITIONING REPLACEMENT AT NORTHSIDE HOMES, PALATKA HOUSING AUTHORITY.’ Faxed bids will not be considered. All work shall be executed in accordance with the instruction and contract documents prepared by CRG Architects/Palatka, Inc., 216A St. Johns Avenue, Palatka, FL 32177, Telephone No. 386-325-0213.

Bid documents are available via email by calling CRG Architects/Palatka, Inc., 386325-0213.

Bid Bond and Performance and Payment Bonds will be required. There will be a Non-Mandatory PreBid Conference on November 6, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Palatka Housing Authority Main Office, located at 400 N. 15th St, Palatka, FL. Attendance is recommended and all bidders or their representatives are highly encouraged to attend.

The Palatka Housing Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive any informalities thereto. This is an Equal Opportunity Project. For the Palatka Housing Authority, Palatka, Florida Oct. 30, Nov. 6 25-00403F

BY, THROUGH, UNDER, OR AGAINST SALIM N. EPHRAIM; THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, OR AGAINST GHANIM N. EPHRAIM; THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, OR AGAINST RAINA HAYALY: YOU ARE NOTIFIED that the Plaintiff has filed a Complaint for the purposes of quieting title in favor of Plaintiff. The subject property is currently located in Flagler County, and which is more fully described as: Lot 1, Block 16, Palm Coast, Map of Royal Palms, Section-29, as recorded in Map Book 10, Page 21, of the Public Records of Flagler County,Florida. This action has been filed against you as Defendants, and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to the action on Plaintiff’s attorney, whose address is Sheila M. Lake, Esq., Lake Law Firm, P.A., 475 Central Avenue, Suite 402, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, on or before 30 days from first publication, and file the original with the Clerk of this Court either before service on Plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter, otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. THIS NOTICE SHALL BE PUBLISHED IN THE OBSERVER NEWSPAPERS ONCE A WEEK FOR FOUR (4) CONSECUTIVE WEEKS. Dated this 27th day of October, 2025. Tom Bexley Clerk of the Court (SEAL) By: Margarita Ruiz (Deputy Clerk) Sheila M. Lake, Esq. Lake Law Fimm, P.A. 475 Central Avenue, Suite 402 St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Oct. 30; Nov. 6, 13, 20, 2025 25-00268G

2025 NOTICE TO FLAGLER COUNTY TAXPAYERS

Section 197.122 Florida Statutes provides in part:

“All owners of property are held to know that taxes are due and payable annually and are responsible for ascertaining the amount of current and delinquent taxes and paying them before April 1 of the year following the year in which taxes are assessed.”

Pursuant to Section 197.322, Florida Statutes, notice is hereby given that the 2025 Flagler County and Municipal Ad Valorem Taxes and Non-Ad Valorem Assessments are now open for collection. Payments are accepted at the Flagler County Tax Collector’s Office, subject to discounts as provided by law.

DISCOUNTS FOR EARLY PAYMENT 4% in November 2% in January 3% in December 1% in February

Tax notices have been mailed to all property owners or their authorized agents at their last known address. Please review all materials enclosed with your tax notice carefully.

If you do not receive your tax notice by November 15, 2025, you may print a copy from our website at flaglertax.gov or contact our office at (386) 313-4160 or by email at propertytax@flaglertax.gov.

FOUR CONVENIENT WAYS TO MAKE YOUR PAYMENT:

• BY MAIL: Please make checks payable to: Shelly Edmonson, Flagler County Tax Collector P.O. Box 846 Bunnell, FL 32110

• IN PERSON: Flagler County Tax Collector’s Office Government Services Building 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Building 2, Room 102 Bunnell, FL 32110 Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM OR

Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

• INTERNET: Pay online at flaglertax.gov Credit and e-check payments accepted. Please note that the electronic processing company charges a convenience fee for credit card payments; no portion of this fee is retained by the Tax