Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
MUSIC MATTERS PAGE 6 MARCH 2022
VOLUME 8, NO. 8
10 issues for state legislators Abortion, the state budget, and education top the list. Also: elections, health care, immigration, redistricting. JIM SAUNDERS THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
The Florida Legislature’s 60-day session reached its halfway point Wednesday, Feb. 9. Here are snapshots of 10 big issues in the session: ABORTION
The Republican-controlled House and Senate are moving forward with a proposal that would prevent physicians from providing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The heavily debated proposal is similar to a Mississippi law that is being reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court. BUDGET
Flush with cash from federal stimulus money and higher-than-expected state tax collections, lawmakers appear headed toward passing a record budget for the fiscal year that will start July 1. The Senate last week rolled out a $108.6 billion proposal, while the House proposed a $105.3 billion spending plan. EDUCATION
Some of the session’s fiercest debates are playing out on education bills, including House and Senate measures that involve how race-related issues are taught in schools an outgrowth of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to prevent teaching of critical race theory. Lawmakers also could address school discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity.
Hudson, 2, Amber, Holland, 4, Harper, 6, and Anthony Wagner
Helping Harper FPC teacher and coach Anthony Wagner was speechless when he was told his 6-year-old daughter has cancer.
BRENT WORONOFF STAFF WRITER
Amber and Anthony Wagner found out on Jan. 13 that their 6-year-old daughter, Harper, has a rare form of childhood cancer. The next night, Anthony, the girls basketball coach at Flagler Palm Coast, had his biggest game of the year against Matanzas. Of course, he wasn’t going to the game. But Harper wanted to go. “She likes going,” Anthony said. “She asked if she could
go to my game.” So, Anthony coached his team, and Harper watched from the stands. “Everybody understood. The team’s a family,” he said. “They’re kind of like more big sisters to our girls.” THINKING IT WAS AN INFECTION
Amber and Anthony have four daughters: Haley, 19; Harper, 6; Holland 4; and Hudson, 2. On Jan. 13, Anthony took Harper to the emergency room at Advent-Health Palm Coast because she had an
Photo by Brent Woronoff
unusual swelling on the right side of her face. First, he was told it could be an infection. Then, after a CT scan, the doctor said she thought Harper had embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. “I was kind of dumbfounded,” Anthony said. “I had no idea. That’s when she said it’s a type of cancer. So, at that point everything kind of changed.” The diagnosis was confirmed at Nemours Children’s Health in Jacksonville. At that point, their lives did change. Harper is their focus, while Amber and Anthony continue to give their other girls the attention they too deserve. And the Wagners discovered they’re not alone in their ordeal.
SUPPORT POURS IN
Support from the community and from other families that have gone through their trauma has been overwhelming, they said. “It’s amazing how many people have reached out to us,” said Anthony. “Everybody offers to help. We’re involved with a couple of churches in town — Palm Coast Community Church on Sundays and First Baptist on Wednesdays. They’ve offered meals. They’ve even offered to help get our two younger ones into the preschool. “Other parents in Palm Coast and Flagler County who have kids going through SEE HELPING PAGE 2
ELECTIONS
The House and Senate have started moving forward with proposals that include adding steps for voting by mail and creating a state office to investigate alleged election irregularities. Republicans contend the bills would help curb fraud, while Democrats say they would make it harder for people to vote. HEALTH CARE AND COVID-19
Senate Republicans approved the confirmation of state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, who has drawn heavy opposition from Democrats because of his views on COVID-19. Lawmakers also are looking at issues such as staffing standards for nursing homes, which face worker shortages. IMMIGRATION
In a priority of DeSantis, Republican lawmakers are pursuing bills
The center would offer information about the local natural environment and history, plus events that support local businesses.
JONATHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR
Flagler County’s tourism office wants to create a local visitor center that would offer ecotourism packages, a gift shop, events that would bolster local businesses, and educational presentations on the local environment and history. “No matter where it is, you will walk in and be able to get a total feel of the entire county and everything that we offer,” county Tourism Director Amy Lukasik said at a Feb. 21 Coun-
Local Postal Customer
PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID DAYTONA BCH FL PERMIT #447
SEE 10 PAGE 6
Tourism office proposes visitor center, likely in Flagler Beach
A video created by the Hammock Community Association and shown at the Feb. 21 County Commission meeting showcases the Hammock area’s ecotourism opportunities. View it at http://www.thehammock.org.
ty Commission meeting as she briefed commissioners on the proposed center. “We want to be able to offer ecotourism packages and experiences that are unlike any other. We want to be able to have food walking tours.” The visitor experience center would be funded by grants and tourism bed taxes and would most likely be sited in Flagler Beach. County Commissioner Joe Mullins said he liked the idea of having non-residents fund the proposed center. “I love the part where you’re talking about the local residents don’t pay for it,” he said. Flagler County has already set aside $1.1 million for a potential visitor center, and has an opportunity to pursue an 80%-20% matching grant that could fund its development, Lukasik said. Currently, she said, Flagler lacks the ability to coordinate tourist-focused services and events. “There’s a huge hole in our community for that,” Lukasik said. “We will never have huge attractions — we don’t want them; we don’t want the boardwalk with all the carny rides and games — we want packages and experiences that match the DNA of our community.” The facility would provide information on the county’s
natural resources, agriculture and history, she said. For instance, environmentally themed exhibits it might feature sea turtle nesting, the county’s coastal dune system and rip current safety. When locals bring visitors to town, she said, “You can come into the center and say, ‘This is everything about Flagler County,’ and you can experience things here for free, and then also you can purchase different packages and experiences that relate to ecotourism, culinary, agricultural — all those niches that we target.” Once the county finds an appropriate site for the center, the county would convene a community and industry task force to research best practices to determine what its interior would look like. That would likely include interactive digital kiosks, meeting spaces, event hosting spaces, a place to showcase work by local artists, and an aquarium to promote ecotourism and marine preservation. An outdoor exhibit area may include bee- and birdattracting flowers, erosionpreventing herbs and wild edible plants. Ideally, Lukasik said, the center would be in Flagler Beach south of State Road 100 and near a proposed hotel site
on the south side of S.R. 100 at South Daytona Avenue. “It makes no sense for us to be off I-95; people already know where they’re going,” she said. “They’re likely going east. ... We want to be where they’re already going. So it’s very important that we keep it logistically easy for them.” The downtown Flagler Beach area’s walkability also provides opportunities to lure in tourists, she said. “There’s also a lot of organic foot traffic that’s happening throughout the business district down there, and we need to be able to capture as much of that as possible to be successful,” she said. The next step, she said, it to find an appropriate site. “Land is quickly diminishing, and what is left, the prices are continuing to rise,” she said. “So we are looking to move quickly on this, but not without all the proper due diligence, because we want to be successful.” When county staff find an appropriate parcel for potential purchase, she said, the Tourist Development Council will review it. If the TDC votes in favor of the site, the proposal would go to the County Commission for approval. Email Jonathan Simmons at jonathan@palmcoastobserver.com.
PLANTATION BAY OBSERVER
|
PalmCoastObserver.com
MARCH 2022
Helping Harper CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Saturday, March 26, 2022
treatment have reached out. We had no idea that there was even that type of support in the community.” Amber’s job at Grand Villa Palm Coast Senior Living Community was put on hold while Anthony continues to teach at Buddy Taylor Middle School. Harper is on a 66-week treatment plan. She goes to Jacksonville once a week for chemotherapy. Every fourth week, she has to go five days in a row. Every sixth week, she has an overnight stay in the hospital. On week 12, she’ll begin radiation therapy five days a week in Jacksonville. Willis Earl started a GoFundMe page to help the Wagners with their travel and medical expenses. As of Feb. 21, 120 donors had contributed a total of $14,668. John Schneck, the Wagners’ former pastor, had wristbands made up that say, “Praying for Harper Quinn” and “Philippians 4:6-7.” Schneck, the pastor at Life
In-Person & Virtual Attendance Bradenton Area Convention Center 1 Haben Blvd, Palmetto, FL 34221
9 AM – 3 PM (ET)
Doors open at 8 am • Program starts at 9 am
FREE EVENT
Registration Required at ParkinsonsExpo.org Online registration is strongly encouraged. Visit ParkinsonsExpo.org or call 941-926-6413 ext.105 for more information. The Parkinson’s Expo will feature presentations from medical experts on treatment options, the latest in research, managing the non-motor aspects of the disease, and more. This event is presented to the community at no charge thanks to the following partners:
Exclusive Presenting Sponsor
Diamond Sponsors
HELP THE WAGNERS’ MEDICAL AND TRAVEL EXPENSES
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Sarasota, Sunovion Silver Sponsors
Medtronic, Parkinson’s Foundation
THE PARKINSON’S EXPO 2022 PRESENTER
Psychological and Cognitive Aspects of PD, Including Psychosis London Butterfield, PhD
A complete listing of speakers and topics is available at ParkinsonsExpo.org
377066-1
Licensed Psychologist, BayCare Medical Group
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the Wagners: https://bit. ly/3LQJDSI. It states: “Let’s raise some funds to help this fantastic family, going through way too much. Monies will go toward whatever they need to live. Prayers and positive thoughts are so appreciated as well.”
Community Church in Eustis who has started his 50th year in ministry, said the first order for the wristbands was 400 to 500 from toddler size to extra large with another order going in. “We love the Wagners,” he said. “I was their pastor here, but we still consider them part of our family. We ask our people to wear (the wristbands), and every time they look at them, they think of Harper. It brings up the question of what we believe. We certainly believe in the power of prayer.” Debbie Gibbens has been collecting gift cards for the family. The Live Like Cameron Foundation has reached out.
PLANTATION BAY
Observer “If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944 Publisher John Walsh, jwalsh@palmcoastobserver.com Executive Editor Brian McMillan, bmcmillan@palmcoastobserver.com Associate Editor Jarleene Almenas, jarleene@ormondbeachobserver.com News Editor Jonathan Simmons, jonathan@palmcoastobserver.com Staff Writer Brent Woronoff, Brent@ palmcoastobserver.com Page Designer Hailey McMillan Senior Account Manager Susan Moore, susan@palmcoastobserver.com Front Desk Associate Bonnie Hamilton, bonnie@palmcoastobserver.com
TRACKING HARPER’S JOURNEY
The Wagners have a Facebook page called “Harper’s Journey,” where they keep group members informed on Harper’s treatment. And they are supporting other families. Anthony discovered that the sister of Esperanza “Essie” Bass is one of his students. Essie, who has chronic myeloid leukemia, is in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant. With their new platform, the Wagners are trying to spread the word to help Essie find a donor. Harper is on an individual educational plan and is on partial hospital homebound with a teacher coming in a couple of days a week. Harper loves cheerleading, gymnastics and swimming, and the doctors told Amber and Anthony she can continue those activities if she feels up to it. Art — drawing and coloring — is her comfort, Anthony said. “It’s all been a whirlwind,” he said. “We’re fortunate. Everyone has been amazing. It’s making it so we can focus on Harper.”
Operations Manager Maureen Walsh, maureen@palmcoastobserver.com Advertising Coordinator Jessica Boone, jessica@palmcoastobserver.com Circulation Manager David Brooks, david@horizonroad.com
Plantation Bay HOA President John Gamin, 386-586-7530, mjgamin@cfl.rr.com Vice President Bob Anderson, 386-3161278, rranderson1@hotmail.com Treasurer Robert LaTocha, 386-6158204, robertlatocha77@gmail.com Secretary Helen Siegel, 386-236-9884, hsiegel51@aol.com Director Joan Beck, 386-672-7762, jbeck386@aol.com Director Jack Corbett, 772-405-7339, corbettteam@gmail.com, Director Derek Kaufman, 386-263-7277, DKaufman162@gmail.com Director Kathleen Walter, 386-2632570, kzwalter@aol.com Director Roseann French, 386-671-7715, gfrench154@aol.com
Palm Coast Observer, LLC
MARGE ROSBY has moved!
Marge 4 Hair Inc
NOW at Turning Heads Salon
THU MAR 10
Married to Broadway
FRI MAR 18
Certified Stylist, Colorist, and Hair Extension Call Specialist
Doo Wop Project
386-290-9351
for info or to make an appointment 298 S Nova Rd, Suite G, Ormond Beach, 32174
372477-1
(located behind Dunkin Donuts, in the plaza with Lenny’s Pizza)
FRI MAR 25
The Texas Tenors
THU MAR 29
Canadian Brass
SOLD YOUR HOME? MOVING SOON? Safe Ship provides moving services to anywhere in the U.S. We can pack your home too! Call us today for a FREE Quote AUTHORIZED SHIPPER
Notary • Shredding Mailbox Rentals
Just Minutes Away - FREE PARKING 5500 East Hwy 100 • Palm Coast
Domestic & International Shipping U-Haul Provider, Boxes, Packing Materials & More
386.437.7547
Buy Tickets Online! FlaglerAuditorium.org
(386) 310-2869
3762 Roscommon Dr. Ormond Beach, FL
www.HalifaxPacknShip.com
Conveniently Located @ Halifax Plantation Village Plaza
375435-1 XNSP20557
Box Office Hours M-F 10am-4pm
375272-1
2
OrmondBeachObserver.com
PLANTATION BAY OBSERVER
Drug abuse in Flagler County Increasing treatment options are available, but more work is still needed, experts say JONATHAN SIMMONS
“Chris didn’t grow up poor. Chris was smart. Chris comes from a loving family. Chris’s family has resources. None of that seemed to matter.” MICHELLE CARTER, executive director, Embassy of Hope Foundation
N
“We cannot arrest our way out of this epidemic — and it is an epidemic. We must educate, we must prevent, we must enforce and we must provide treatment.” RICK STALY, Flagler County sheriff
County plans for eminent domain suit One owner in the 2.6-mile dune restoration project area has not granted permission for workers to access her land.
The Flagler County government has secured an access easement from one of the two property owners standing in the way of a $25 million Army Corps of Engineer Beach renourishment project in Flagler Beach, and will pursue eminent domain proceedings to secure access to the final owner’s property. The easements grant the Army Corps of Engineers the right to renourish dunes on private property east of A1A, building a barrier to prevent storm surge during nor’easters and hurricanes from damaging the road and flooding the homes and businesses west of it. Because a gap in the dune would become a breach point that could undermine the entire project, the Corps of Engineers is not willing to move forward with the project until it has secured access rights for all properties in the 2.6-mile-long project area. The county secured about 130 easements by the winter of 2020, then faced opposition when seeking easements from the dozen or so remaining property owners. It convinced most of them to sign, narrowing the holdouts down to two. The latest easement that the county has secured is in the 2700 block of State Road A1A, County Attorney Al Hadeed said during a Feb. 21 County Commission meeting. Hadeed said he hopes that the county might still be able to convince the one remaining property owner to sign without going through a full eminent domain proceeding. “But if we’re not, then we are on a track ... to proceed to file, and pursue to conclusion to the extent necessary,” Hadeed said.
JENNIFER WILLS, Flagler Health+
ing the door for communication for our youth, so that they have a safe area that they can talk about mental health, mental distress.” Carter, the mother of former professional basketball player Vince Carter, emphasized that substance abuse can affect any family. Both of her sons — NBA star Vince Carter, and her younger son, Chris Carter — had done well in school, been school athletes, grew up in an upscale neighborhood, she said. But Christopher, who’d wanted to be a meteorologist, had faltered, dropping out of school in his senior year. His parents found out he’d been using drugs. “Chris didn’t grow up poor. Chris was smart. Chris comes from a loving family. Chris’s family has resources,” she said. “None of that seemed to matter.” At 42, he’s now serving out a violation of probation sentence, she said. Jobs and housing are hard to find because of his arrest history. “This started when he was younger than these young men sitting in front of me,” Carter said. She commended Flagler County for confronting the drug problem. “Maybe Flagler County has the model for other counties,” she said. “Let’s start in Florida — everything has to start somewhere — to help people get back, really get back, into society.” Staly said that as the county’s population in recent years surpassed
3
NEWS EDITOR
“We’re really focusing on opening the door for communication for our youth, so that they have a safe area that they can talk about mental health, mental distress.”
own homes — but are now creeping back up again, Staly said. To help fight youth drug abuse, Staly said, the county and other agencies have partnered for a $1.2 million mental health and substance abuse grant, which was awarded in June 2021 and is being dispersed over three years, at $400,000 per year. “It focuses on expanding services for youth and young adults,” Staly said. “The goal is to divert youth and young adults from the juvenile or adult criminal justice systems to appropriate mental health and substance abuse services.” The program, which focuses on youths under 25, has served 340 people so far, Staly said. The FCSO has also equipped deputies with Narcan since 2018. They’ve administered more than 200 doses. To help keep young people on a positive track, the FCSO oversees a series of youth programs, including the law and justice academy at Matanzas High School. Over 2,700 youth participated in those programs in 2021. But more work is needed. The county jail in Flagler County has become a de facto addiction services provider, but corrections facilities generally aren’t designed for that, Staly said. “We cannot arrest our way out of this epidemic — and it is an epidemic,” Staly said. “We must educate, we must prevent, we must enforce and we must provide treatment. But all of those programs have to be funded appropriately.” Lane sees the effects of the drug epidemic in her law practice. Flagler County is fortunate to have a unified family court, she said, because that lets judges get to know the families who come before them. In most cases, drug use isn’t their only problem. “Usually, it’s substance abuse plus … mental health, substance abuse and childhood trauma, and homelessness, and something else that’s going on,” Lane said. “So we’re very fortunate, in this area, to have a judiciary that is informed and educated to deal with these issues.” In 2019, the Department of Children and Families took approximately 2,400 children into custody in the Seventh Circuit area including Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns and Putnam counties, she said. In Flagler County, she said, about 90% of those cases involved substance abuse. Only about 30% of those children are successfully reunited with their families. “That is definitely a number that we want to see increase — the children that go home successfully,” she said. Breaking cycles of addiction, she said, starts with treatment. “It has to start with community; it has to start with access to resources,” she said. “And the good news is … that all of those things are possible. All of those things are present.” Wills said that many people begin abusing substances because they’re self-medicating for mental health conditions. At Flagler Health+, she said, “We’re really focusing on open-
MARCH 2022
JONATHAN SIMMONS
NEWS EDITOR
ot infrequently, when someone who’s appeared in Judge Terence Perkins’ courtroom is placed on probation, he’ll get a new order dismissing their case and their probation requirements. “I bet I get one every single day,” he said. “I had two today. You know why? They’re dead. … a lot of them from drug abuse.” Perkins, who heads the county’s drug court program, was speaking at the Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Forum organized by the Junior Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 16. The event also featured comments from Sheriff Rick Staly, Embassy of Hope Foundation Executive Director Dr. Michelle Carter, Chiumento Law family law attorney Cynthia Lane and Flagler Health+ Care Connect+ program coordinator Jennifer Wills. It was moderated by Junior Chamber of Commerce president and founder Bryan Soudrain, with an introduction by Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin. Speakers said the drugs on the street today aren’t the ones people remember from the ’60s. Fentanyl, Staly said, causes most of the deaths, but it’s increasingly laced into other drugs. “Fentanyl is used by drug dealers because it’s cheap to cut heroin to make a larger supply, which equals a larger profits. It’s all money driven,” Staly said. “ ... Often, addicts and social drug users don’t know that their drug is laced with fentanyl, and that’s what increases the chance of an overdose — because you just don’t really know what you’re taking. And they’re not expecting such a potent reaction.” Much of the crime in Flagler County is related to drugs, even when suspects aren’t charged with drug crimes — people may steal, for instance, to fund their drug addiction. Perkins estimated that 80% or so of the county’s felony crimes have some kind of drug connection. Crime numbers dropped during the pandemic — it’s harder for deputies to catch people who are confining their criminal activity to their
|
School impact fee vote delayed JONATHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR
“If we don’t get our arms and our minds around this issue, we’ve got big problems going forward.” Judge Terence Perkins
100,000, he’s seen more service providers interested in serving the area. For instance, the county government has partnered with SMA Healthcare and Flagler Health+ to create the Flagler Access Center, which opened in January and provides screening, case management, and links to behavioral and drug abuse treatment services. “In the last year, 18 months, I’ve seen as a sheriff a huge increase in providers wanting to be in Flagler County,” he said. “That’s only going to make it better for everybody.” Email jonathan@palmcoastobserver.com.
“We’re very fortunate, in this area, to have a judiciary that is informed and educated to deal with these issues.” CYNTHIA LANE, attorney, Chiumento Law
Flagler Schools’ proposal to raise school impact fees requires final approval from the County Commission, but, for the second time in recent months, a commission vote on the fee increase has been delayed. “For a lot of people, patience is running thin on this, the continuing of these extension,” County Commissioner Andy Dance said at a Feb. 21 commission meeting. “I know there’s been made progress, otherwise we wouldn’t have put it on the agenda ... but all parties need to get together and solve this issue so that we can move on.” The commission on Nov. 2 had tabled a vote on the proposed fees, encouraging the school district to work with the Flagler Home Builders Association, which had opposed the rate hike, to come to an agreement. Earlier this month, the school district and the FHBA looked like they’d neared an agreement, and the proposal was placed on the County Commission’s Feb. 21 agenda. The district — which had initially proposed almost doubling impact fees on single family homes in order to fund school capacity improvements — was proposing a more moderate increase that would have initially raised fees by for single-family homes from $3,600 to $5,450, multifamily homes from $931 to $1,360, and mobile homes from $1,066 to $2,150, then gradually increased those fees based on school district enrollment. But before the County Commission’s Feb. 21 meeting, the district notified county staff that the proposal wasn’t quite ready. It has been rescheduled for the commission’s March 21 agenda.
PalmCoastObserver.com
EXPERIENCE PLANTATION BAY OBSERVER
|
MARCH 2022
DOWNTOWN
ORMOND
GCHC member Cathy Weite participates in a horticulture workshop in the gazebo at Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
100 years of beauty and service Garden Club of Halifax Country reaches centennial JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Feb. 28 marked the Garden Club of Halifax Country’s 100th anniversary. The oldest garden club in the state of Florida, the GCHC is more than just a group of ladies who love plants. In its century of existence, members have worked diligently on education, conservation, beautification and historic preservation projects throughout the Halifax area. From the two-decade-long effort to preserve Tuscawilla Park in Daytona Beach to the restoration of Rockefeller Gardens in the 1970s, civic engagement has been a cornerstone of what GCHC is all about. “I think we’ve kept true to our mission, and interested women in those things,” said GCHC president Linda Armour. “Conservation, the environment, education still stay in the forefront, and then people go into their specialties.” The GCHC was founded on Feb. 28, 1922, by Mrs. Joseph Ellicott in Ormond Beach with 10 members. Together with garden clubs in Jacksonville, Winter Park and Miami, it helped to found the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs in 1924. Since the GCHC’s inception, it has grown into a group of 60 members. A member of The Garden Club of America, its community involvement includes the development of the sensory garden at the Museum of Arts and Sciences, the relocation and renovation of the 1885 Emmons Cottage at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens, and the restoration of Vadner Park in Ormond Beach, which will have a grand opening in April 2022.
Brewing Up History!
Ormond Garage, 48 W. Granada, 386-492-7981
ormondgarage.beer
A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE
An anniversary event was held at the Anderson-Price Memorial Building on Feb. 8, where members celebrated the milestone and learned more about the club’s history. Nine scrapbooks contain 100 years of
Courtesy of Lisa Watts
Nine scrapbooks contain 100 years of garden club memories.
memories, and Kay Acquaro, chairman of the GCHC Centennial Committee, was in charge of condensing and narrating those memories in a 20-minute powerpoint, in line with the club’s centennial theme of “Bridging the Past, Present and Future.” “It was a trip down memory lane for a lot of people,” said Acquaro, who has been a member of the GCHC for 40 years. While four decades of dedication seems significant, Acquaro is not the club’s longest-standing member. Lupe Burt — a direct descendant of Frederick Law Olmstead, a landscape architect best known for designing Central Park in New York City and the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, and whose bicentennial birth is also being celebrated by the Garden Club of America this year — has been a member for 60 years. Armour, who joined in 2012, said one of the main things members love about the GCHC is the camaraderie and friendships. And that leads to interesting anecdotes over the years. “We always laugh at the first project for Mrs. Ellicott in 1922 and her ladies was to make sure ugly billboards were not in town,” Armour said. “And she was going to hire the Boy Scouts to get out with their hatchets and chop them down. That is lore that happens to be true. So way back in 1922, they had the idea that cities should be beautiful.” Club member Lisa Watts, chairman of communications, said she has learned a lot since she joined three years ago.
She’s always loved gardening, but she didn’t realize how much more the club did. “I think the awareness is what I’m so happy to do,” Watts said. “When I joined the club, I had no idea about the different things they do like the children’s programs and the scholarships. ... I’m really proud to be a part of it, and I hope to be a small part of continuing forward and being a part of a project that, in a 100 years, somebody will say, ‘Look what she was part of when she was in the club.’” BRIDGES
GCHC has been a finalist for the Garden Club of America Founders Fund twice in its lifetime. The first time was in 1991 with its “Window in the Forest Children’s Garden and Interpretive Center,” and then again in 2021 for the Vadner Park restoration project. To additionally celebrate its centennial, the club created a new logo that pays tribute to its deep-rooted value of native plants. In 1991, the club played a significant role in Florida’s adoption of the Coreopsis as its official wildflower. The new GCHC logo contains this flower. Centennial celebrations are not over. From March 30-31, the club will host a Garden Club of America flower show, titled “Bridges,” at the Oceanside Country Club, located at 75 N. Halifax Drive. It is free and open to the public. To learn more about the GCHC, visit www.thegchc. com
Grind Gastropub & Kona Tiki Bar 49 W. Granada, 386-672-7277
grindgastropub.com
Four Themed Restaurants, One Location! Free Valet Parking. Live Music. Happy Hour Specials!
375508-1
4
Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Garden Club of Halifax Country is celebrating its centennial anniversary this month.
OrmondBeachObserver.com
PLANTATION BAY OBSERVER
|
MARCH 2022
5
New Cultural Council to support the arts FPC freshman is a finalist
for innovation challenge
The umbrella organization introduced its board and solicited feedback Feb. 22.
Olivia Karns is one of 10 finalists in an international competition for her idea to turn shipping containers into portable hospitals.
BRENT WORONOFF STAFF WRITER
MORE INFORMATION Email info@flaglerculture.org. Call 386-313-4229.
BRENT WORONOFF Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Cultural Council board members Debra Naughton (liaison with Tourist Development Council), Meshella Woods, Bettie Eubanks, Elaine Studnicki, Richard Hamilton and Ed Siarkowicz.
create and organize new events and support established events. Working with the Tourist Development Council, the FC3 will promote cultural tourism. Hamilton said the council has four constituencies: performance arts, visual arts, cultural heritage and history. The board members represent all four constituencies. He said the board has met with the 50-plus arts and cultural groups to garner support. “We talked to every one of them,” Hamilton said. “We solicited their opinions, where we’re going, what are the next steps.” Hamilton said nearly all of the organizations were on board. “A few said, ‘We’ll wait and see. We’ve seen other organizations come and go.’ But we wouldn’t be where we are without that implied support,” Hamilton said. The council brought in two speakers for the meeting. Danila Coppola of the Florida Division of Arts and Culture explained how local arts agencies are able to secure state grants to invest in arts and culture. Jaye Baillie, the executive director of Marion County’s local arts agency, said FC3 is starting up the right way. “It’s so much fun watching the birthing of an organization that supports the arts,” Baillie said.
“We will make everyone else shine. We will be supportive in nature.” ED SIARKOWICZ, Flagler County Cultural Council board member
The council gave everyone who attended the meeting a survey card, asking questions, such as: - “What do you consider to be the most important issues relating to culture and arts in our community?” - “What might artists and cultural organizations do to make ours a more livable, prosperous community?” The council also presented membership tiers costing as little as $20 for a student friend membership and $100 to $200 for full memberships. There were several local organizations represented at the meeting. Historic enactors were in attendance: Kathy Reichard-Ellavsky, Theresa Owen and Gail Palmer were dressed as 1920s-era suffragists. Reichard-Ellavsky was representing Alice Scott Abbott, a suffragist from Bunnell. The three women representing the American Association of University Women are raising money along with the Flagler County Historical Society to purchase the 1916 Seventhday Adventist Church building in Espanola, move it back to its original location in Bunnell and turn it into a Florida Women’s Voting Rights Museum.
STAFF WRITER
Kelly Karns said her daughter, Olivia, comes up with new ideas every day to try to make the world a better place. So, it was no surprise to her that Olivia, a freshman at Flagler Palm Coast High School, was selected as one of 10 finalists in an innovation challenge sponsored by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). The international competition, known as the World Series of Innovation, was an extra assignment by FPC entrepreneurship instructor Corinne Shaefer for those who were ahead of their classwork. There were seven challenges participants could choose from, and Olivia Karns chose the Maxar-sponsored Community Resilience from Space Challenge. Competitors are to “use geospatial data to make communities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” Karns’ idea is to convert surplus shipping containers into portable hospitals and delivered to locations that are far from hospitals. These hospitals could be shipped to areas where a disaster, such as an earthquake or tornado, has occurred. Using satellite data to predict where severe weather will hit, the hospitals can be transported ahead of time, she said. “My mom told me a while ago about surplus shipping containers, and I thought, ‘Why not make them into hospitals?’” Karns said. “My inspiration came from my uncle who lives in a rural area in Virginia. When I was there, I saw it took 20 minutes for an ambulance
Courtesy photo
Olivia Karns shows a plan for her shipping-container hospital.
to arrive from the nearest hospital. Shipping container hospitals would be easy to move around. I do thank my mom. She got the ball rolling on this long before I had this class.” Karns said the containers are 40 feet high, eight feet wide and 8.6 feet high with enough room for three beds, equipment and material, and they would be staffed by at least five nurses or doctors. “There’s plenty of room for doors, privacy and storage,” she said. The 10 finalists are required to submit a one-minute video presentation by Feb. 25. Karns, who said she has been working on the project for two to three months, had a meeting scheduled for Feb. 23 at AdventHealth Palm Coast to learn more about the necessary equipment and its cost. “She’s really excited about how this project can potentially help people,” Kelly Karns said. “She has always been gifted. She likes to know how things work, and she always wants to help the lesser served. We do a lot of fostering with dogs.” “She’s such a humble ninth grader,” said Schaefer. “But she’s so talented.” The first-place prize for each of the challenges is $1,500 with $600 for second place and $300 for third place.
See a Doctor Who Specializes in Hearing NOT a Salesman • Your hearing is precious - trust Palm Coast Hearing Center - where your total hearing health is our priority, and our Doctors and Specialists use proven best practices to maximize your success! • Hearing loss can affect your life in many ways, from increasing your risk of dementia, increasing your risk of falling, and decreasing your likelihood of being able to live independently as you age- put your hearing health in the hands of our caring and compassionate Doctors of Audiology. • In addition to hearing loss, our doctors specialize in cerumen (ear wax) removal, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and testing of our current hearing aids to determine if they are properly fit. We are committed to providing the best hearing care available in Palm Coast and Ormond.
Dr. Indira Alvarez, Au.D., F-AAA
Dr. Dominique Botta, Au.D., F-AAA
Unhappy with your hearing aids? Call us, we can help! Free Gift for New Patients! *Expires February 28th
Heather Curry, H.A.S
377294-1
160 Cypress Point Parkway, Suite A108, Palm Coast, FL 32164 Call today for an appointment. (386) 270-0421 Tuesday-Saturday 386-238-9634
376813-1
The new Flagler County Cultural Council will be an umbrella organization uniting more than 50 arts and cultural groups and helping to secure grants and promote arts and culture in the county. At an introductory meeting Feb. 22 at the African American Cultural Society, Ed Siarkowicz said that while the organization will act as a community umbrella, it will be an inverted one, acting not as a blocker, overshadowing local organizations, but as a collector. “We will make everyone else shines,” said Siarkowicz. “We will be supportive in nature.” Siarkowicz is one of five members on the council’s board of directors, serving as secretary. The others are Chair Richard Hamilton; Treasurer Meshella Woods; Elaine Studnicki, director of history and humanities; and Bettie Eubanks, director of fine arts and culture. Debra Naughton is the council’s liaison with the Flagler County Tourist Development Council. The council, which uses the abbreviation FC3, has filed with the IRS as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation to act as the sole arts agency for Flagler County. It has support from the county commission. According to its promotional material, the council will be able to seek funds not easily available to individual organizations. It will engage in advocacy and education for the arts and humanities. It will
6
PLANTATION BAY OBSERVER
|
PalmCoastObserver.com
MARCH 2022
10 big issues at session halftime
Music matters DSC music production technology student Julien Collins finds his tune JARLEENE ALMENAS ASSOCIATE EDITOR
As a kid, Julien Collins recalls watching his brother produce music on their Mac desktop. Like many younger siblings, Collins was intrigued and excited by what his brother did, and would often be spotted peeking around the corner trying to see what his brother would come up with next. Now at 22, Collins is producing his own beats, and recently released a hip hop EP consisting of seven tracks titled “Weird Kid.” Why the name? It’s a way for the Ormond Beach resident to express that it’s OK to be considered “weird.” “It always stuck with me because when people — bullies or whatever — would call you that, they use it in a negative connotation, but to me that’s something positive,” Collins said. “There’s a lot of people who are too afraid to express themselves, in whatever manner they think. So I took that negative connotation and made it positive.” But he wouldn’t be where he is today without Daytona State College’s music production technology program, an avenue he didn’t know existed until he was already in college pursuing a psychology degree.
A WAY TO VENT
Music has always been a passion for Collins, even while he was a student at Flagler Palm Coast High School. He used to record songs in a small room in the library. “It was a great way to vent, you know?” he said. “Because a lot of people in my life, everyone is usually going through stuff so it’s hard to get certain feelings out, so that was like my way of expressing those feelings. I’ve been through a lot, so being able to express those, it’s vital, to everybody.” Years later, during his freshman year of college at the DSC campus in Palm Coast, one of his professors caught wind of his love for music and told him of the school’s music production technology major. Collins was taken aback — he didn’t know that was option. He always figured producing music was something you learned and did on your own. “If I would have known that my freshman year of high school, I would have taken school way more serious, because it would have been something I actually liked,” Collins said. “I know so many kids who make music and do all this stuff who aren’t aware of this, and it’s like a waste of potential to not know about that.” So he took a semester off, moved to Ormond Beach and got to work. MUSIC CHANGED HIM
His advice to people wanting to produce music? Keep going and don’t give up.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
that seek to boost immigration enforcement and penalize companies that transport undocumented immigrants into Florida. Opponents contend, in part, that the bills could prevent unaccompanied immigrant children from being brought into Florida for care and shelter. INSURANCE
With homeowners seeing hefty rate increases or losing policies, it remains unclear how lawmakers will address problems in the propertyinsurance system. A Senate proposal, in part, targets roof-damage claims that insurers blame for increased costs. A House proposal focuses on issues related to the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Courtesy photo
Music has always been a passion for Julien Collins.
Inspired by his mother, brother and his professor, Christopher Velazco, whom Collins said is always trying to open new doors for him, Collins said he hopes to continue working on his music. Next year, he will serve as the president for DSC’s music industry club. As he gets older, and has produced music with his brother, it’s given him a chance to reflect on the experiences he’s lived through. “You start becoming aware of things around you, so you look inside and all that internalization that you didn’t know how to express hits you,” Collins said. “Making music was fun at first, but it really turned into something that changed my life, and made me a better person.” Listen to “Weird Kid” at https:// soundcloud.com/thatboyjules
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Calling it the “Local Business Protection Act,” the Senate passed a bill that could lead to businesses filing lawsuits against cities and counties if ordinances cause lost profits of 15% or more. The issue, which has drawn heavy attention from local governments, is pending in House committees. REDISTRICTING
Lawmakers have passed new maps for state House and Senate districts as part of the once-a-decade reap-
News Service file photo
Gov. Ron DeSantis gave his State of the State address Jan. 11 to formally start the legislative session.
portionment process. But a map for congressional districts remains in limbo after the DeSantis administration offered a proposal that includes revamping a North Florida district that was designed to help elect Black candidates. TAXES
Lawmakers near the end of the legislative session will likely agree on a tax-cut package, though it remains unclear whether they will approve a DeSantis proposal to suspend gasoline taxes for five months starting July 1. Lawmakers are looking at increasing the homestead propertytax exemption for teachers, military members and first responders.
“CMMDR is the best! They go above and beyond to help. I recommend them to all my friends and family.” -Marvin M.
Rated #1 GET YOUR MEDICAL
MARIJUANA CARD TODAY.
GET THE HELP YOU DESERVE. VISIT US AT CMMDR.COM
OR CALL US NOW FOR A FREE EVALUATION 386-222-1667 2525 W INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY BLVD #110, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32114
DELAND
386-232-5599 100 S SPRING AVE #102, DELAND, FL 32720
ST. AUGUSTINE
904-299-7373 2085 A1A S, ST. AUGUSTINE, FL 32080
376776-1
DAYTONA
376788-1
$150 RE-CERTIFICATIONS - 210 DAY PRESCRIPTIONS - NO EXTRA CHARGE FOR FLOWER
NEW PATIENTS GET FREE GIFT & DISPENSARY DISCOUNTS!
MARKET PLACE Insurance
Health
Painting
CALL for a Quote CALL & forAsk a About Quote Money & Ask Saving About Money Discounts! Saving Discounts!
377123-1
Auto • HomeInsurance • Condo • Motorcycle • Flood • Renters All Counties Agency All Counties Insurance Agency RV • Boat • Commercial Auto • Property & Traffic School 99 OldSchool Kings Rd. S.100 Suite 3 & Traffic Winn-Dixie Shopping Plaza - Route Central Plaza Florida Retina Winn-Dixie Shopping - Route 100Center www.aciaonline.com Phone 386-439-9254 www.aciaonline.com
377127-1
XNLV20199 364199
377125-1 364198
XNLV20197
CALL TODAY FOR A FREE PERSONALIZED INSURANCE QUOTE.
Phone 386-439-9254 www.aciaonline.com Phone 386-439-9254
PF-SPAD0414151522
PF-SPAD0414151522 PF-SPAD0414151522
Pressure Washing
Promote Your Business!
377124-1
SPREAD THE WORD Commercial / Residential
Mathew Bouey: (386) 338-2525 PF-SPAD0414151522 (100%)
ADVERTISE IN THE OBSERVER’S SERVICE DIRECTORY
O.K. WITH CORRECTIONS BY:________________________ O.K. WITH CORRECTIONS BY:________________________
For more information call 386-447-9723 ext.132
Palm Coast, FL
LicensedPF-SPAD0414151522 and Insured ADVERTISER: ALL COUNTIES INSURANCE(100%) A PROOF CREATED AT: 4/20/2016 9:35:47 AM ADVERTISER: ALL PF701 COUNTIES INSURANCE A SALES PERSON: SALES PERSON: PF701 SIZE: 3X3.75
PROOF CREATED 4/20/2016 9:35:47 AM NEXT RUN DATE: AT: 04/21/16 NEXT RUN DATE: 04/21/16 PROOF DUE: 04/22/16 13:59:55
SIZE: 3X3.75 SPEC PUBLICATION: PUBLICATION: SPEC
PROOF DUE: 04/22/16 13:59:55
377126-1
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY • SUBMIT CORRECTIONS ONLINE
or visit advertising@palmcoastobserver.com
377128-1 369191-1
PROOF O.K. BY:___________________________ PROOF O.K. BY:___________________________ PLEASE READ CAREFULLY • SUBMIT CORRECTIONS ONLINE
377122-1
Established in 2010
OrmondBeachObserver.com
PLANTATION BAY OBSERVER
|
7
MARCH 2022
Plantation Bay
Showcase Homes Coming Soon!
The Arbor II
The Blossom II
The Davenport
45 Longridge Lane 2 Bed / 2 Bath / 2 Car Garage / 1,562 ft²
43 Longridge Lane 3 Bed / 3 Bath / 2 Car Garage / 2,078 ft²
398 Stirling Bridge Lane 4 Bed / 3 Bath / 3 Car Garage / 2,537 ft²
The Juliette
The Juliette III
The Egret V
374 Stirling Bridge Lane 3 Bed / 2 Bath / 2 Car Garage / 1,979 ft²
380 Stirling Bridge Lane 4 Bed / 3 Bath / 3 Car Garage / 2,193 ft²
252 Stirling Bridge Drive 4 Bed / 3 Bath / 3 Car Garage / 3,086 ft²
Dreaming about a new Home? Ask us about increasing your buying power!
A abou sk us t commour 4% progr ission am.*
*Seller must list an existing home with Venture Development Realty, Inc. (an affiliate of ICI Homes) and enter into a purchase agreement to purchase a new home from ICI Homes without the participation of an outside broker. The new home cannot be an inventory home or a model. ICI Homes will reimburse seller an amount equal to the real estate commission paid on the seller’s existing home, up to, but not to exceed 6% of the purchase of the new ICI Home. This reimbursement will be paid at time of closing on the new ICI Home and may be used for closing costs, options, upgrades or a discount on the base price of the new ICI home but will not be paid out in cash. Not valid with any other discounts. ICI Homes reserves the right to change or discontinue this promotion at any time without notice. Additional restrictions may apply.
376791-1
Contact us for more information — 386.437.4164
PLANTATION BAY OBSERVER
|
Elizabeth H. Kargar Broker Assoc. 386.585.2904
Peggy Krantz Realtor 808.368-6164
PalmCoastObserver.com
MARCH 2022
#10 Ask us about our 4% commission program.*
Larry LaGrotta Broker Assoc. 386.212.1202
Debbie Spelman Realtor 386.690.6511
Carol Paquette Realtor 386.846.1759
Angela Henley Prop. Manager 386.547-4342
10 Reasons to List or Buy with Venture Development Realty Inc.
#1 On-Site Presence On-site in Plantation Bay since 1988.
No other real estate company has an office inside Plantation Bay.
#2 Professional Client satisfaction and personal service is our
top priority. Our full service real estate company is proficient in all aspects of buying and selling a home in Plantation Bay and the Daytona Beach area.
#3 Performance $73,770,000 in real estate sold by Venture Development Realty in 2021 so far!
#4 Powerful Advertising We open the door to an
extraordinary audience of potential buyers that are being marketed to visit Plantation Bay. We advertise specifically for Plantation Bay, marketing your home locally, as well as, extensively in the Midwest and NE US.
#5 Social Reach VDR demonstrates social media leadership
on multiple social media channels, expanding reach and connecting with more potential buyers.
#6 Rapid Response By providing a continuous stream
of service throughout the duration of the sale, including long after the deal has been made, homebuyers or sellers will develop meaningful relationships that extend beyond the original transaction.
#7 Discovery Tours We have the unique ability to allow
buyers the ability to experience Plantation Bay as its residents would,with full access to all amenities.
#8 Property Management
VDR offers online application for tenants, tenant screening and placement. Rent collection and timely remittance to owner. Repair coordination & tax statement administration.
#9 PB Inside Track
Venture Development Realty is the only Real Estate Company that offers buyers up to $10,000 in membership discounts at Plantation Bay Golf & Country Club.
Contact us for more info. 386.437.6840 / VDRInc.com Commission Credit Program - Seller must list an existing home with Venture Development Realty, Inc. (an affiliate of ICI Homes) and enter into a purchase agreement to purchase a new home from ICI Homes without the participation of an outside broker. The new home cannot be an inventory home or a model. ICI Homes will reimburse seller an amount equal to the real estate commission paid on seller’s existing home, up to, but not to exceed 6% of the purchase of the new ICI Home. This reimbursement will be paid at time of closing on the new ICI Home and may be used for closing costs, options, upgrades or a discount on the base price of the new ICI home but will not be paid out in cash. Not valid with any other discounts. ICI Homes reserves the right to change or discontinue this promotion at any time without notice. Additional restrictions may apply.
376792-1
8