13-year-old
Flagler student arrested for threats to kill
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 13-year-old Buddy Taylor Middle School student on Wednesday, Feb. 4, after an investigation revealed the teenager had sent written threats last year against Indian Trails Middle School students, along with two photographs of a gun, in a group message over Snapchat.
The juvenile was arrested for written threats to kill or do bodily harm to another person. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he was transferred to the Department of Juvenile Justice, the FCSO said in a press release.
It was the second time in two days that a Flagler
11:00 p.m. — 100 block of Cypress Point Parkway
theft. A Palm Coast man walked out of a department store with a $368 espresso machine.
The store’s loss prevention officer saw the suspect, whom he knew from a previous attempted theft at the store, according to an arrest report.
The loss prevention officer found the suspect’s address through a personal Facebook post that included a photo with an Amazon package that had the delivery address vis-
County middle school student was arrested for making written shooting threats, which is a second-degree felony. An 11-year-old ITMS student was arrested on Feb. 3 after an investigation revealed she had written a shooting threat on a school bathroom wall, the FCSO said. The student said she was dared online to write the message. On Feb. 4, a BTMS school resource deputy spoke with the 13-year-old student. During the interview, the teen stated the messages were intended as jokes that got out of hand, according to the FCSO.
“We treat every threat with utmost seriousness, acting swiftly to ensure that the educational environment remains secure,” Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore said in the FCSO release.
“This collaboration between the FCSO and Flagler Schools enables immediate action and investigation of any threat reported within our district.”
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said one would hope the two incidents will deter other
ible, the report said. The deputy went to the address, and the suspect and his wife answered the door. His wife told the deputy the suspect had brought home an espresso machine that day.
She said she did not know it was stolen, and allowed the deputy in to see it, the report said. It was the exact one stolen from the store, and the suspect was placed under arrest. The machine was returned to the store.
BAD BACK
2:41 p.m. — 1500 block of West Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach Petit theft. While investigating an incident where an 18-year-old Daytona Beach man was caught trying to shoplift at a big box store, police noted he had a large
students. “Let this be a reminder for parents to be the sheriff of your own home and to monitor your children’s activities online and teach them the consequences of their actions and how to properly handle disagreements,” Staly said.
“That education will last them for a lifetime. There is no gray area in the law and telling us it was a joke is not a defense. The defense is to not do it in the first place.”
Moore wrote a message to Flagler parents on Feb. 4 addressing the incidents.
“I want to emphasize that our students and both campuses remain safe for the education of all students,” she wrote. “At no point has the security of our school buildings been compromised.”
After a three-day trial, a Volusia County jury found defen-
“bulge” under his camo jacket, near his back. Officers suspected it could be a backpack, but the teen told them it was his “deformed back.”
But he did not in fact have a deformed back. It was a new backpack he tried to steal from the store. Police also found a pack of undergarments hidden in his pants as well as drug paraphernalia. He was arrested.
FEB. 7
DANCING ON CRANES
3:57 p.m. — 200 block of Ocean Shore Boulevard, Flagler Beach Trespassing. A Daytona Beach man was arrested after he was caught dancing on a construction crane at the Flagler Beach pier. When a police officer arrived on scene, the officer saw
dant Latravius Jacobs guilty as charged of first-degree murder, vehicular homicide, carjacking and burglary of a conveyance.
On Dec, 14, 2023, Jacobs stole a vehicle from a man while in the parking lot of a Daytona Beach motel. About three minutes after the carjacking, Jacobs ran a red light at Mason and Ridgewood Avenue at 91 mph and crashed into another vehicle, a State Attorney’s Office press release said.
The vehicle launched into the air and flipped several times. The victim died from his injuries at the scene.
A 55-year-old Palm Coast woman was killed in a car crash near Mile Marker 279 on Interstate 95.
The crash happened just after midnight on Feb. 9. For unknown reasons, an SUV driving north on I-95 in the left lane crashed into the
the suspect still dancing on the crane, positioned at the end of the pier, which is under construction. As the officer walked up to the man, the suspect jumped off the crane to hide behind another structure one the pier, according to an arrest report.
The suspect was arrested. When asked why he was on the pier, the suspect said he stopped at the pier construction site to “get somewhere away from people.” He later admitted to the officer that he had smoked marijuana an hour and a half before.
The officer noted the suspect was “extremely cooperative and apologetic.”
MAN INTERRUPTS
PROTEST
4:25 p.m. — First block of John Anderson Drive, Ormond
guardrail, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report. The SUV came to rest, disabled, facing south in the left, northbound lane. The 55-year-old woman was driving a sedan behind the SUV and collided head-on with the SUV. The SUV spun so it was facing northwest in the left shoulder while the sedan came to a stop against the left guardrails.
The 55-year-old woman, who was not wearing a seatbelt according to the report, died. The SUV driver, a 23-year-old woman also from Palm Coast, is in serious condition. The FHP is still investigating the crash.
A Seabreeze High School paraprofessional was arrested on Feb. 5, after police say he kicked a 17-year-old student with Down syndrome during a
Beach
Battery touch or strike. A 43-year-old Ormond Beach man was arrested after witnesses say he tackled a woman.
Police report that the victim, a Holly Hill woman, was protesting with a group on the bridge when the man began arguing with them. After he tackled the victim, the man tried to get away on his bike but was restrained by witnesses. When police arrived, he was still trying to get away and resisted officers’ attempt to restrain him.
The victim suffered minor injuries to her neck and fingers. The man suffered an eye injury after he was restrained by citizens prior to the police’s arrival. Both were cleared on site by paramedics. The man was taken to jail.
behavioral incident. Daytona Beach Police report that 50-year-old Dontel Wright was arrested at 4:18 p.m. after an investigation by Seabreeze’s school resource officer, who was notified about the incident from the assistant principal. The incident happened in the school gym around 12:30 p.m., according to the police report. The victim was found to be running down school hallways, requiring staff members to follow and track them throughout the day, police report. The victim never showed physical aggression toward Wright.
DBPD said the victim ran and tried to hide from Wright behind the bleachers after they were kicked, and that Wright followed the student and “forcibly pulled” them from under the bleachers. The student did not sustain any injuries. The parents were notified and wanted to press child abuse charges. Dontel is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail with no bond.
POLITICAL STABBING
6:29 p.m. — 1600 block of North U.S. 1, Ormond Beach
Aggravated battery. Police arrested a 69-year-old New York man who is suspected of stabbing a person outside a local pub after a verbal altercation over politics. According to an arrest report, a witness told police that a fight had broken out between three people, during which the man stabbed one of the people involved in the back. The fight was broken up by a bystander, who disarmed the man and tossed the knife into the bushes.
The victim was stabbed in his shoulder blade and was transported to the hospital. The man sustained a black eye during the fight. He was taken to jail.
BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Republican candidates for Palm Coast City Council, Flagler County Commission and Flagler County School Board spoke to residents at the 2026 Flagler GOP Candidate Forum on Thursday, Feb. 6, at the Palm Coast Community Center. Perry Mitrano, the Flagler County Republican Executive Committee chairman, read two questions for each of the three elected offices chosen from those submitted by attendees of the forum. The candidates’ statements and answers have been edited for space consideration.
COUNCIL
Candidates Ray Stevens, Tony Amaral and Darlene Shelley discussed how to pay for critical infrastructure repairs. Stevens and Amaral want to increase the time limit of three minutes for public comment at the Council meetings.
Question 1: Palm Coast is growing rapidly. What specific policies would you support to balance the growth with infrastructure capacity?
Question 1: Why are lots of folks getting green water? And, what can be improved in the city’s water quality, and how can we reduce water and trash costs?
RAY STEVENS:
Ray Stevens is running again for the District 3 seat he won in 2024. He stepped down after serving less than four months because of a life-threatening illness that required lung surgery. He spent two months in the hospital.
After recovering, he decided to run again. He said the city needs to put the brakes on “uncontrolled and poorly planned development,” that is putting “an unsustainable strain on Palm Coast’s infrastructure.”
Answer 1: “In respect to the infrastructure, Wastewater [Treatment Plant] 1 is nearing or at capacity,” Stevens said. “I think what we need do to put the brakes on is stop this policy that seems to be popular here in Palm Coast, and that’s called upzoning. And rezoning is another situation that contributes to the problem of overdevelopment and overpopulation. After all, the reason why we have to build, rebuild or expand Wastewater 1 is because of the population levels. We need to give the infrastructure time to catch up. Otherwise, we’re going to keep going down that rabbit hole.”
Answer 2: Stevens said after he was elected he took a tour of facilities including the water treatment plant and learned that the green water is not harmful. “It doesn’t look good. But the bottom line is, it can be corrected. They’re working on it.”
TONY AMARAL:
Tony Amaral is running for the District 2 seat. He has lived here since he was 9 years old. He said he became a builder in 1991, receiving mock boos from the audience to that “big confession.” He quickly added that he’s not a developer. He said he builds on lots that were originally set aside. With most ad valorem taxes “coming out of homes,” the city needs to increase clean industry, he said. Amaral said infrastructure is deteriorating because there was never really a plan to set repairs in motion. He said the city should set aside a percentage of its annual budget toward infrastructure.
Answer 1: Amaral said Palm Coast was one of the fastest growing cities in Florida in 2000 to 2007. “We handled it then,” he said. “Why can’t
we handle it now? Priorities have to be set and made very clear. Palm Coast had large pieces of land that was set out there, and if you bought four units per acre, it should make sense to keep it at four four units per acre. Can we do special concessions? We can do a little bit of negotiating, but the city has to get something back.”
Answer 2: “Green water is just cosmetic, from what I understand, but it doesn’t mean we can’t do better,” he said. “Our water bill has gone up, doubled, I think, in the last four to five years. Our storm water has gone up. Let’s see if we can go out for bid.”
DARLENE SHELLEY:
Darlene Shelley is running for the District 4 seat. She is frustrated with unchecked growth. “Palm Coast is a beautiful place, but beauty doesn’t maintain itself,” Shelley said. “It requires stewardship, accountability and a willingness to say no when something isn’t right for our residents. She said residents should know how where their tax dollars go. “Government should not be a maze. It should be a window,” she said.
Answer 1: “I believe in responsible growth, growth that respects our infrastructure, respects our neighborhoods and our natural environment. Growth that doesn’t overwhelm our roads, our schools or our first responders,” she said.
Answer 2: Shelley said she speaks for everyone who can’t afford their water bill. “They tell me it used to be $22,” she said. “Brian [her husband] and I got our utility bill and it’s $180. ... Why is the water so expensive is the question I want to find out and fix for you.”
SCHOOL BOARD
School Board candidates Ron Long, Jill Woolbright, Will Furry and Christy Chong said the guardian program is a good idea for Flagler Schools, although Long said he would prefer to see more school resource deputies at the schools.
Question 1: Who follows the accounts for the school system voucher money? For example, if a homeschool child goes to charter school and then returns to public school, how do we ensure the money is returned to the public school system?
Question 2: Where do you stand on the guardian program?
RON LONG
Ron Long is running for the School Board District 4 seat against incumbent Christy Chong. He has lived in Palm Coast for over 20 years. He and his wife have three children who are all graduates of Flagler Schools. A work injury in 2023 ended Long’s construction career, he said, and he began getting involved in local government. He decided to run for School Board, he said, because of “the lack of competency and urgency that’s coming from the current board.” With federal plans to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, “a School Board member that can’t make legislative days because they’re too busy is simply unacceptable,” Long said. Answer 1: “From what I understand, we have to wait for the state to get with us,” he said “And that’s what I’m talking about: bringing back a lot of that control here locally, where it belongs.” He added that “our school system has so many wonderful programs that homeschoolers can get involved with.”
Answer 2: “The guardian program is a great idea for public schools. I would love to have five resource officers at every single school. It’s expensive, but that again leads back to, we need to start being in control of these dollars that are leaving Flagler County. As for a weapon in class, I’m a Second Amendment person. I’m a concealed weapons holder. But I have my reservations with that type of stuff being done in the school by people who aren’t truly trained. In my opinion, we need more resource officers.”
JILL WOOLBRIGHT
Jill Woolbright is running against Cathy Moon for School Board District 1. Woolbright served on the board from 2020 to 2022. She was a teacher in Flagler Schools for 28 years. As a board member, she raised concerns about prolonged school closures and masking laws. She said she advocated for parental rights, policies that are now state law, and supported policies “that now protect students from inappropriate content, and reinforced parental trust in the classroom.”
Answer 1: “I am pro voucher.
I first ran for the seat, I promised to be a steady, principled voice for parents, students and taxpayers, and together we have delivered real results,” she said. “Our schools are shining,” she said. “Many of our schools hold A and B ratings, and in the 202425 school year, Flagler schools saw solid gains in English language arts, math and overall performance. Steady progress that shows our focus on education is working. And we made it clear that our schools are places for learning, not political messaging.”
However, there are issues, and that’s why many of the legislation that’s being talked about in Tallahassee now is over the voucher program because it’s not been fair, because when the money has followed the student and then the student parent says, ‘Oh wait, I can’t handle this. I can’t be a teacher after all,’ and sends them back, the money ... doesn’t come back to the schools. The same thing is true in reverse, though. If the schools have already received some FTE funds, and in that period the student goes home, the schools got money for the student. But the student left, so there’s a big concern about the vouchers.”
Answer 2:“I’ll answer that by asking the question, ‘Can a child be too safe? Can staff be too safe’? I was on the board and brought up the guardian program back in 2021. I trust our sheriff. Our sheriff trains the guardians. It’s not some willy-nilly person that just goes out hunting that comes into the schools to carry a gun. They were highly trained by regulations set by the state of Florida, and that it is funded by the state of Florida in a grant. ... It’s another layer of protection for our students.”
WILL FURRY
School Board District 2 incumbent Will Furry is running for reelection. Furry said in his 3 1/2 years on the board he stood for parental rights and parental choice in education. He was one of three board members that voted for a change of leadership, which ushered in the selection of LaShakia Moore as Flagler Schools superintendent. Furry touted the district’s $11.2 million fund balance this year.
Answer 1: “I think parents should have the option to take their dollars with them, wherever they think it best suits their student. But I also believe in public education. When it comes to vouchers, this was an effort that was put out by the legislation, and no policy is perfect out of the gate. They are taking it up again here in this session, and it’s going to be improved. ... We want to make sure the dollar truly follows the student.”
Answer 2: “I’m an advocate for [the guardian program]. I’ve made it very clear from day one that I am not in favor of replacing our school resource deputies ever by the guardian program. I also went and walked the halls of Parkland before they tore down that building, and I saw firsthand how the guardian program could have saved lives. The guardian program is not an end-all. It is a force multiplier. Our campuses are big and the SRDs can’t be everywhere at once. This is not something new. [Fiftythree] districts have guardian programs, and they get 144 hours trained by the sheriff.”
CHRISTY CHONG
Christy Chong, the District 4 School Board representative is running for reelection against Ron Long. “When
Answer 1: “I am a supporter of the Step Up program,” she said. “We’ve heard it said that public schools is the great equalizer. But that’s not true, because all children are different and have different needs. Currently, there is new legislation to right some of the wrongs to make sure that the money follows the child. We also hired a new school choice position. That person also helps to follow where the money’s going and also to make sure we’re reaching out to kids and bringing them back to public schools.”
Answer 2: “I am a supporter of the guardian program. We did bring it to a vote. I did vote yes for it, but it did not make it. We’re not just putting guns in people’s hands. We got to hear from other counties that have implemented this and how it’s a very slow [roll-out], working with our [sheriff’s office] to make sure they’re trained.”
FLAGLER COUNTY COMMISSION
Candidates Theresa Carli Pontieri and Greg Feldman both said they are strong supporters of property rights. To keep up demands on infrastructure, Pontieri said growth should pay for itself.
Question 1: If property taxes are eliminated, what will that mean for County Services?
Question 1: How do you keep more home building from happening in our county?
THERESA CARLI PONTIERI
Theresa Carli Pontieri currently represents District 2 on the Palm Coast City Council. She is running for the District 2 Flagler County Commission seat against Greg Feldman and independent Raymond Royer. She comes from a long line of military service and first responders in her family. Her husband is a fire department lieutenant. Pontieri has been an attorney for 10 years as a business litigator and family law attorney. She said she went to Tallahassee last year to get money for the city’s Inflow and Infiltration system.
“I know why our water is green,” she said. “It’s because we now have to tap into brackish water because our aquifers are getting lower and lower, so we have to improve this technology in our water system. I’ve already gotten money for that.”
Answer 1: “I have great relationships with Senator (Tom) Leek and Representative (Sam) Greco,” Pontieri said. “We meet and speak bi-weekly. And I have kept in great touch with them about this very issue. This issue started off with eight bills that were coming out of the Legislature in Tallahassee. It’s now down to two. Those bills, from what I understand, probably will not pass this year, but even if they do, they will be phased in, so people will have some time to acclimate.
“What I can tell you about taxes is that I want to reduce them. I’m not a believer in property taxes in general. I don’t think that you truly own your home if you’re paying the federal government for it. So, I believe in rolling back our property taxes and
finding other ways to bring in revenues. The number one thing we need to do in this county is bring in good paying jobs in Industry. We have our new Industrial Development Authority that I look forward to working with.”
Answer 2: “I will say I also heard a couple people say that we need to enact policy that’s going to slow down the building. Well, I’m proud to say that in the last two years, the City Council has not approved a single new development. What’s really hard to understand is that people do have property rights. And if you have the right ... there’s nothing that we can do, or should we do, because if you were that property owner, you wouldn’t like us to step in. As far as being able to slow down the growth and make sure it’s measured. I think the better question is, ‘How can we make sure our infrastructure is keeping up with the growth?’ and that is exactly what I’ve already done. We passed record high impact fees to make sure that growth pays for itself. In this city, we are now being unfortunately sued by our Home Builders Association for that, but I’m still fighting. And I will continue to make sure that we are passing proper impact fees, that we are enacting policies that continue to keep home rule.”
GREG FELDMAN
Greg Feldman is running for Fagler County District 2 against Pointieri and Royer. He and his wife, Jan, moved here from South Florida in 2007. He said he has over 45 years experience as a law enforcement professional. He is the chair of the Volusia Flagler Transportation Planning Organization’s Citizens Advisory Committee. A priority, he said, is keeping first responders properly funded. “We do have budget challenges ahead,” he said. “We need to focus on fiscal responsibility of protecting taxpayer dollars. ... We have to balance wants vs. needs. We need to focus on infrastructure and improvements, especially for traffic congestion. We need to make sure that our beaches and our tourism is preserved, because tourism is responsible for $433 per year per household that you don’t pay in taxes.”
Answer 1: “It’s really easy to say, ‘We’re going to eliminate taxes.’ And it sounds really good to most people,” he said. “But in reality, what are we doing? If we lose that property tax money, hard decisions will have to be made. The Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue are the most critical, but after that, do you eliminate your Parks Department? Do you eliminate your fleet managemen? ... Quite frankly, I can’t make a list of what I want to cut from the government, because it would be drastic. So, let’s hope that there’s not a complete elimination of property tax because I believe it would cause challenges that we don’t even want to face, including raising other types of taxes.”
Answer 2: “Short answer, you can’t. ... Landowners have property rights. But what we can do is make sure, number one, that the infrastructure is in place to handle what’s being built — roads, utilities, water. After that, let’s say you have a large enclave of money for estate homes. And somebody wants to split it in half and build a second home because of their in-laws or their children. Not a problem. But in that same neighborhood, if somebody comes in and says, ‘Well, I bought that one acre lot, and I want to build 12 townhomes there,’ I hope it won’t get through the staff, but if it does, they’ll see a no vote from me.”
Curry, HIS
Flagler County paid $106,000 to the program in the 2026 budget. Will it stay in the county budget?
SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
As Flagler County and Flagler Beach begin budget discussions, Flagler Beach commissioners want to know if funding for the lifeguard program will continue.
In 2025, as Flagler County prepared for the 2026 fiscal year budget, the Flagler County Commission had discussed ending its funding to the lifeguard program. The program pays for lifeguards to guard the area of the beach that is beneath the boardwalk in Flagler Beach, and is funded by the county and the city of Flagler Beach.
At a joint municipality meeting on Feb. 4, Flagler Beach Commissioner Eric Cooley asked Flagler County Commissioner Kim Carney and Chairwoman Leann Pennington whether the county will continue funding the program this year.
“What we would request is that the county has a discus-
sion probably a little bit sooner into the [budgeting] season,” Cooley said. “So when budgeting does start, there’s no panic to figure things out.”
The county’s contribution to the program is $106,000, with a built-in consumer price index adjustment, according to information provided in the joint meeting.
Pennington said that the county has not had any discussions since about cutting the program, but, as the county faces the prospect of losing its property tax revenue in the future, it could be cut in the future.
“It’s a necessity to have lifeguards. And it is a program that is certainly expensive. It’s getting up there,” Pennington said.
There are several bills in the Florida Legislature that would end or majorly curtail the property tax revenue available to municipalities.
Pennington committed to working with Flagler Beach to try to secure the funding for the program in the upcoming budget cycle, but admitted she didn’t know what the numbers would look like with the CPI.
“We will keep it in our budget for discussions, and I’ll certainly attempt to make sure it gets funded for you,”
Pennington said. Carney pointed out that the county is not statutorily required to provide funding for lifeguards. It’s good to have it, she said, and good for the insurance, but it’s “a local preference.” None of the other beaches in Flagler County have lifeguards.
“The lifeguard issue at any municipality is a benefit,” Carney said. “It’s not a requirement. So the county is not required statutorily to provide any lifeguard assistance.”
Beverly Beach Mayor Stephen Emmett asked about other counties, which, he said, do provide lifeguards.
“I feel it’s part of the county’s issue to support lifeguards,” Emmett said. Those counties control their beaches, Carney said, and Flagler County is one of the only counties that does not control its beaches. Cooley said it is important for the Flagler Beach Commission to know the county’s position.
“There’s a concern as a whole in the county,” he said, “of where can county residents go to have lifeguards if Flagler Beach and the county were to pivot and go another direction.”
Ban expires Feb. 13. A wildfire that broke out Feb. 4 led to evacuation of 25 homes.
SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Flagler County has instituted a week-long burn ban that went into effect on Feb. 6 and will remain in effect until Friday, Feb. 13.
The burn ban prohibits using any explosive compound, like fireworks or flares, open burning including campfires and fire pits, throwing burning materials like cigarettes from vehicles and parking vehicles with catalytic converters in high grassy areas, according to a Flagler County press release. Outdoor grills and similar equipment are allowed when continuously attended to by an adult.
The county is currently experiencing severe drought conditions, with a dailyincreasing Keetch Byram Drought Index and no forecast of rainfall during the ban’s duration.
“The conditions have become favorable for rapid fire growth, so this action will help reduce our community’s risk,” Flagler County Fire Rescue Chief Michael Tucker said. “In addition to the ban on burning, remember that a good offense is the best defense. Clear the area around your house of anything that will go up in flames easily –including stacks of firewood, portable propane tanks, and dead, dry vegetation.”
The burn ban was instituted just days after a wildfire prompted evacuations for some residents along Old Dixie Highway in Flagler County on Feb. 4. That fire, which reached approximately 170 acres in size, is now 100% contained, according to a Feb. 9 email from Rob Chase, the public information officer for the Jacksonville district of the Florida Forest Service.
Residents located in the area between East Avenue, Bayberry Village Road, Deer Hunter Road and Old Dixie Highway were evacuated from their homes at 8:12 p.m. on Feb. 4, according to an email from Flagler Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord. Residents were able to shelter at Fire Station 16 at 3935 Old Dixie Highway, near
the Publix.
Tucker, in a phone interview with the Observer on Feb. 5, said no public or private property had been damaged, though the flames did come within 30 feet of the Baptist church on Old Dixie Highway.
“When we showed up here, some of the mulch in their planters was on fire,” Tucker said.
Initially, 25 residences were evacuated between East Avenue, Bayberry Village Road and Old Dixie Highway and Deer Hunter Road, Lord wrote. That was reduced to properties immediately off South Old Dixie Highway between Carmelite Drive and East Avenue and Bayberry Village Road.
Tucker said it’s the first time in his five years at the FCFR that residents have had to be evacuated because of a wildfire.
Once the fire was 50% contained, the evacuation order was lifted at 12:13 a.m., Lord wrote. Old Dixie Highway between Interstate 95 and Highway U.S. 1 was shut down during the evacuation but has since reopened.
In a Feb. 5 phone interview with the Observer, Chase said crews were already on the scene doing mop up work: putting out hot spots, reforming the lines around the fire and walking the fire perimeter.
At 100% contained, the fire is not entirely out but is no longer moving or progressing. Crews will continue to monitor the activity until the fire is 100% controlled, Chase wrote, meaning it is completely cold with no smoke or heat left.
Chase said in the phone interview they first received a call about the fire at 1:13 p.m. on Feb. 4. They did not have an estimated initial size of the fire but, Chase said, the responding FFS crew imme-
diately called to request a second dozer, which forms fire break lines 8-12 feet wide. The fire was 80 acres across at around 4 p.m. and by 11 p.m., because of the weather conditions, the fire doubled in size, Tucker said. Around 8 p.m., he said, the winds and the weather changed, causing the fire to break out of the fire lines and pushing the flames north, a different direction than it was previously going.
“Things got a little intense for about 45 minutes,” he said. When the weather shifts the directions of the flames, firefighters first look to see what is in its path, he said. In this case, he said, there were a lot of homes and businesses in its path.
“The benefits of having a resource like FireFlight is that when the fire does that, we can pivot a lot faster than moving ground crews,” Tucker said.
The FCFR and FFS teams were able to get crews, tractors and dozers in front of the fire to create new fire lines and slow the fire down. Later in the evening, the increased humidity and rain later in the evening allowed firefighters and FFS to get the fire contained.
“We’re in a good position right now,” Tucker said. By the end of the night, Chase said, FFS had seven dozers — five medium, two heavy — two engines, one drone unit, and one six wing unit. Chase said there were two helicopters on site as well, one FFS helicopter and FCFR’s FireFlight. Tucker did not have a final count of how many crews or engines were involved on the county side at the time of this publication.
As the cleanup work continues, Chase asked residents to avoid the area if possible. The source of the fire is still under investigation.
‘His
Administrator Petito said. Sayles’ last day will be March 3.
SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Deputy County Administrator Percy Sayles is resigning from the position after just under four months on the job. Sayles’ last day will be March 3. He was hired for the position in October after the death of previous Deputy County Administrator Jorge Salinas. Sayles stepped in from the Flagler County Fire Rescue where he served as deputy fire chief for four
years.
County Administrator Heidi Petito announced Sayles’ departure at the end of the Flagler County Commission’s Feb. 9 meeting. “His departure represents a significant loss to our organization as he has consistently demonstrated exceptional professionalism, dedication, and leadership throughout his tenure,” Petito said. “His contributions have had a lasting positive impact, and he’ll be greatly missed.”
In his resignation letter, submitted on Feb. 4, Sayles writes that it is “with mixed emotions” that he resigns from the position. Though he did not give a reason for his resignation, he writes that he leaves “with the assurance that the residents of Flagler
County are in good hands.
“I have often heard it said that you will know when it’s time to call it a day, and I now understand the truth in those words,” Sayles wrote. “There is a natural life for all things, and I feel confident that this is the right moment for me to step down.”
Commissioner Pam Richardson was one of only two commissioners to comment on Sayles’ resignation, saying she was sad to see him go.
“I’m sorry that he’s going, but I understand his rights to make his decisions and he’ll always be a part of my heart, as all of you are,” Richardson said. “Thank you for all you guys in the back of the room do. I can’t tell you how important you are to all of us.”
Petito also did not give a
reason for Sayles’ resignation. But several members of the Flagler County Commission have spoken about a lack of trust in current county leadership, particularly with Petito.
In January, Commissioner Kim Carney motioned for the board to fire Petito.
“I lack confidence in our administrator,” Carney said at the Jan. 12 meeting.
At the time, Carney suggested that the county could fill the position with a retired administrator while Petito’s position was filled with a more permanent person.
Her motion died without a second, but not because Carney was alone in her feelings — Commissioners Richardson and Leann Pennington said they had had their own issues with Petito and staff.
Sayles has 33 years of public service experience under his belt. He wrote that it was a privilege to work with the team of “dedicated public servants” at Flagler County.
“I have dedicated myself to making a positive impact on the communities I served,” Sayles wrote. “Each day, I came to work with the goal of improving the lives of those around me, and I am proud of the progress we have achieved together.”
Commissioner Andy Dance said that while the county will move on, the board will miss him.
In a unanimous vote, officials asked for an ordinance to ban reusing ‘blackwater’ for drinking water.
SIERRA
WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
The Daytona Beach City Commission has agreed: they want no toilet to tap water in their city.
The commission voted 7-0 at its Feb. 4 meeting to have City Attorney Ben Gross draft an ordinance that would support a Volusia County charter amendment banning blackwater, or wastewater from toilets, from being used in the city’s potable water and injected into the aquifer. The ordinance will return for adoption by the commission at its next meeting on Feb. 18.
The Volusia County Council is drafting a charter amendment, which may be placed on the 2026 ballot. The amendment would prohibit the use of blackwater — wastewater from toilets — from potable water reuse and being injected into the aquifer in Volusia County.
Gross said the city’s ordinance would be subject to the referendum and a preemption by the state.
“The difference being that your statement of intent and a resolution doesn’t bind future city commissions. A charter amendment would,” he said.
The suggestion for a city document against toilet to tap was brought up by Commissioner Ken Strickland and seconded by Commissioner Stacy Cantu. Strickland ini-
tially asked for a letter or resolution, while Cantu asked the city go a step further, based on the discussion at the Feb. 2 County Council meeting to amend the county charter.
Cantu said she personally doesn’t see toilet to tap happening anytime soon, but does not support it either way.
“I’m not in support. I don’t think any of us are,” Cantu said. “I don’t see what the problem is to let the people vote.”
Should the Daytona Beach ordinance pass, it would prevent blackwater from reaching any of its consumers through the city water utility. But, resident Fred Coulter said, the ordinance may not accomplish what the commissioners are looking for if just one
“We have one giant aquifer. If any one city says we’re going to put our poopy water in the aquifer, there’s no way we can keep it out of our drinking water.”
FRED COULTER, Daytona Beach resident
Florida city moves forward with blackwater reuse.
“We don’t have a Daytona Beach aquifer, a South Daytona aquifer, an Orlando aquifer,” Coulter said. “We have one giant aquifer. If any one city says we’re going to put our poopy water in the aquifer, there’s no way we can keep it out of our drinking water.” Email Sierra Williams at sierra@observerlocalnews. com
Flagler County began the conflict resolution process over disputes with Summertown in Flagler Beach.
SIERRA
WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Flagler Beach is on board to avoid a lawsuit with Flagler County over the Summertown development.
The Flagler Beach City Commission met for a quick 10-minute special meeting on Feb. 5 to unanimously approve a tolling agreement with Flagler County. The tolling agreement will essentially allow the two parties to begin the state-mandated conflict resolution process without Flagler County needing to file a lawsuit first.
“All this agreement does is it allows us to move through that process without the county feeling like they have to file suit first in order to not lose their ability to file suit later,” City Attorney Drew Smith said. “So it really changes nothing about the process itself.”
Summertown is one of two major developments that has been undergoing the annexation process into Flagler Beach from unincorporated Flagler County. The 500-acre development lies along the west side of John Anderson Highway and would add 1,600 residential units, a hotel and a commercial area.
Flagler County has cited five items in the development that may conflict with Flagler Beach and Flagler County’s comprehensive plans. The five specific items of conflict outlined by the county in regards to Summertown are over a reclaimed water facility to
service the development, protecting floodplains, and three areas of potential impact to John Anderson Highway.
State law requires that before one local government can file a lawsuit against another local government, it is required to enter a conflict resolution process to hopefully avoid a lawsuit.
The moment City Attorney Michael Rodriguez would file the dispute against Flagler Beach, it would trigger that process, “freezing” the dispute lawsuit while the two parties mediated.
Typically, the county would only have 30 days after Flagler Beach approved the rezoning and land use application of the Summertown development. That occurred on Jan. 8, and the deadline to file is Feb. 9.
The dispute resolution does not change that the development has been annexed into Flagler Beach, it only addresses items the county says are at odds with both parties’ comprehensive plans.
The Flagler Beach commissioners were all in attendance at the Jan. 28 Flagler County meeting, which outlined the county’s issues with the Summertown development.
The reclaimed water issue could be resolved at the first meeting. According to the Jan. 28 meeting and the document sent to Flagler Beach, the county wants to ensure reclaimed water will be provided to the project as there is no requirement to build a reclaimed water facility for the development’s service area.
“What they’re really looking for is a commitment,” Smith said.
Smith said in the meeting next week he and City Manager Dale Martin can give that commitment.
“Whether it’s in the city
or not in the city, that development is going to have reclaimed water,” he said.
The first meeting between the city and Flagler County to discuss the issues outlined in the conflict resolution will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, at the Flagler County Government Services Complex. It will be held in Building 2 in the third floor Administration Conference Room.
Smith said he’s optimistic that he and the other parties will be able to either narrow the issues or come up with solutions.
“Anything that comes out of it that would come before the boards,” Smith said, “if there is a potential resolution that would come before the boards for ratification.”
Commissioner Scott Spradley said he believes the tolling agreement is the way to go.
“It’s one of those issues where we’re left with a couple of unsatisfactory options,” Spradley said. “But to me, this agreement is the better of the unsatisfactory options, just from a legal perspective, and also practically.”
Summertown is the sister development to Veranda Bay, which has received the first of two approvals from Flagler Beach in January. Flagler County has indicated it may have concerns with Veranda Bay, as well as Summertown, but the county can not file a dispute until after the Veranda Bay development is approved by Flagler Beach. Flagler Beach is set to vote on Veranda Bay’s annexation, rezoning and land use agreements in February.
The meeting is between the Flagler Beach and Flagler County attorneys, Martin and County Administrator Heidi Petito. It is open to the public to attend.
Amelia Fulmer is retiring on July 31. The proposed description for her replacement is expansive.
BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Figuring out all of the roles that Amelia Fulmer fills as the director of the Flagler Auditorium, known as The Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center, was not an easy process, a Flagler Schools official said. Finding her replacement, he added, won’t be easy either.
At a Flagler School Board workshop on Tuesday, Feb. 10, district staff presented a red-lined version of a new job description for auditorium director. Fulmer is set to retire on July 31 after spending 38 years as a music specialist and educator with Flagler Schools, the last seven as the auditorium director.
“As we started collaborating together, capturing everything Ms. Fulmer has been doing, we saw there were a lot of things that were not listed,” Jeff Reaves, the district’s director of teaching and learning, said. “So we took the time to list it.”
The result is a job description that hardly resembles the previous one, starting with the title. “Director, Auditorium,” has been changed in the red-line version to “Director, Auditorium and K-12 Visual and Performing Arts.” Qualifications have been added. A section labeled “K-12 Visual & Performing Arts Support and Coordination,” and another on Auditorium Leadership &
Operations,” have been added.
Flagler County voters approved a $2.6 million bond issue in 1988 to build the 1,000-seat auditorium on the campus of Flagler Palm Coast High School. It opened three years later. Its purpose is to serve both the community and Flagler County students. The director, therefore, has a role in booking professional acts as well as leading the educational aspects of the facility.
The auditorium governing board works with the director on the business side of the operation, and some of the marketing is outsourced, Fulmer said, adding, “but you do have to have someone with a little bit of a business mind to oversee all of that.”
Fulmer said the governing board is working toward changing the way they do bookings to using an agent that gets paid by the performers.
“We’re trying that for this year,” she said. “They’ve contracted her to go out and find all the acts. So hopefully that’s something they can look at into the future as well. That takes a great deal of time.”
The board was receptive to the addition of the K-12 coordination section, which includes serving as the district’s primary support for visual and performing arts programs, supporting arts teachers through professional learning and program initiatives and assisting schools in identifying partnerships and grants.
“I really like the addition of the K-12 visual performance arts, because this past year, I know you’ve been really trying to get more involvement with the elementary and mid-
dle and high schools,” board member Lauren Ramirez said. “And then my only question with that would be, do you think that potentially in the future, this would have to turn into two roles, because that could be too much?”
Fulmer said the roles are interconnected through building relationships with community members and students.
All four board members praised the work Fulmer has done as auditorium director.
“Ms. Fulmer, your evolution of the program and stewardship and collaboration with us has been invaluable, and we’re going to miss you,” Janie Ruddy said.
Reaves said Fulmer has provided the district with some links and information to do a strong national search. But because it is such a unique position, Superintendent LaShakia Moore asked the board to go over the job description and vote on it at its next business meeting on Feb. 24, so the district can post immediately.
“If the board approves, any adjustments are made, then we’ll be ready to go through on Feb. 25,” she said.
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County Attorney did not have high confidence the county could win and faced paying millions.
SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Flagler County has approved a settlement agreement with Hammock Harbour, avoiding a lengthy and costly federal lawsuit.
Hammock Harbour is a development located at on State Road A1A on the north side of the Hammock Hardware store. Flagler County and the property owner, Bob Million, have been in dispute over plans to develop the property for the last six years, and have been in a federal lawsuit since early 2025.
The settlement offer not only would allow Million to build the boat storage facility without changes to his submitted site plan, but would also pay Million $400,000 as the settlement payment and credit him an additional $50,000 in building permit fees, according to Flagler County Commission meeting documents.
The offer also includes a “non-transferable credit” on applicable impact fees of a maximum of $100,000.
County Attorney Michael Rodriguez said given the application’s history in Flagler County, he was not sure the county could win the lawsuit, and therefore it could be subject to multi-millions of dollars in a claim and attorney fees.
“The monetary amounts that are incurred in this settlement are far less than the exposure that the county was risking going forward to trial,” Rodriquez said.
Additionally, the claim was not covered by the county’s insurance, so the funds would have to come “out of pocket,” Rodriguez said.
“The costs that were going forward would have been significant, and for a case where the likelihood of success is — my confidence level was not high,” he said.
Though the Flagler County Commission ultimately approved the settlement offer in a 4-1 vote on Feb. 9. with District 2 Commissioner Greg Hansen voting no, it was with seeming reluctance. No one was willing, at first, to be the one to motion for approval. Instead, Hansen motioned to deny the settlement agreement, but that motion died without a second.
Reading through the history of the project, Commission Chair Leann Pennington said she felt the lawsuit should never have happened, and apologized to Million.
“It reads like a tragedy,” she said. “It’s a shame and I apologize to you [Million] that you had bought this forever [ago], that you were here in this situation, and it shouldn’t have happened, in my opinion.” Pennington added that not all of the history shows good faith on Million’s part, though. There were clear attempts on the county’s part to find a way forward, she said.
“I think, had you had gone through the process, there would have been a happy medium to be met here, and you would have already been built,” she said.
In 2019, Million submitted development plans to the county that outlined a 240unit, multi-story dry boat storage facility that would also have a restaurant and retail space. Also on the property, according to the previously submitted site plans, would be an above ground fuel storage tank.
The sticking point on the application was the argument that the dry boat storage was not an explicit use outlined in the county’s land use code. Million’s proposal went back and forth between Fla-
gler County’s Technical Review Committee, Planning Board and Commission. The Flagler County Commission initially approved the dry boat storage facility, but that was reversed by a Flagler County judge after the Hammock Community Association appealed it in court.
A magistrate at one point said the dry boat storage was an approved use, but would need to be reviewed under the criteria as a special exception.
In February 2025, Million filed a federal lawsuit against Flagler County. The lawsuit argued the county had placed an unfair burden on the property, according to federal court documents, by requiring the property be viewed under a special exception criteria when it was not explicitly outlined as such in the code.
Rodriguez said that staff had, under discovery for the lawsuit, testified that the proposal, as a public-use marina, falls under the commercial recreation designation in the county’s comprehensive plan, and is an approved use.
Flagler County Growth Management Director Adam Mengel said the last submission of the site plan met all of the county’s land development code requirements, as well as the A1A Scenic Overlay District requirements. The overlay is a special set of rules meant to preserve The Hammock.
“Had you had gone through the process, there would have been a happy medium to be met here and you would have already been built.”
LEANN PENNINGTON, Flagler County Commission chair
As part of the settlement agreement, Rodriguez said, the property will no longer need to meet the special exception requirement.
Million’s attorney Scott Thomas told the Flagler Commission that this was not “a sweetheart deal” for his client either. They estimate the damages on their side to be around $6.9 million, he said.
“I can assure you the dollar amounts we’re talking about
“I think you should realize by now, Hammock Harbour is not going to walk away from this.”
SCOTT THOMAS, attorney for Hammock Harbour
in this settlement are a fraction of the economic losses they’ve suffered while, for six and a half years, they’ve been denied what is simply a permitted principal use of their property,” Thomas said.
Thomas said this will be built — the question remaining is only how long will the delay continue.
“I think you should realize by now, Hammock Harbour is not going to walk away from this,” he said, “and I’m afraid I think events show it only gets more expensive.”
Once the settlement offer is accepted in the courts, the developer will be able to continue through the building permit process to build his storage unit.
It will not be reviewed by the Flagler County Commission, as it is not a rezoning or land use change, and site plan applications of this scale do not come before the board. Mengel said the Florida Department of Transportation will review the driveway connections.
Volusia County’s Emergency Management Division joined several schools across the county this morning as they participated in the statewide tornado drill, offering on-site support, answering questions, and providing feedback to school administrators as part of Florida Severe Weather Awareness Week.
Emergency Management staff observed school drills as they occurred, working alongside administrators to review response actions and answer questions while supporting preparedness best practices. The visits continue a long-standing partnership with local schools that has supported the annual tornado drill for more than 15 years.
Severe Weather Awareness Week highlights a different hazard each day, with Wednesday’s focus on severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. To reinforce that message, the National Weather Service conducted a statewide tornado drill by broadcasting a practice warning on NOAA Weather Radio, allowing schools and organizations across Florida to practice their emergency procedures.
The division’s preparedness efforts extend well beyond schools and annual awareness events. Throughout the year, Volusia County Emergency Management works directly with hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities to review emergency preparedness plans, provide practical feedback, and assist with planning efforts tailored to each facility’s needs. The division also partners with homeowners associations,
businesses, and civic groups across the county to deliver presentations focused on local hazards and steps communities can take to strengthen their readiness before emergencies occur.
Organizations or groups interested in having their emergency preparedness plans reviewed, receiving assistance with plan development, or scheduling a preparedness presentation may contact Volusia County Emergency Management at 386-2541500 or EmergencyMgmt@ volusia.org.
Volusia County residents, businesses, and community organizations are invited to take part in a Hurricane Expo scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, in the pavilion area at the Daytona International Speedway.
The event will focus on hurricane preparedness while also offering opportunities for organizations and businesses to participate as vendors or event sponsors. The Hurricane Expo is hosted by the Volusia County Organizations Active in Disasters in partnership with Volusia County Emergency Management.
The free, family-friendly event will help residents prepare for hurricane sea-
son by offering information on emergency alerts, property protection, and practical steps households can take before storms threaten the area. The event will also include live safety demonstrations, educational presentations, guest speakers, and a TouchA-Truck experience featuring fire, EMS, law enforcement, and utility vehicles.
Organizations and businesses interested in participating may reserve a 10-by10 vendor space for $100, which includes a table and two chairs. Vendor space is available on a first-come, firstserved basis, and sponsorship opportunities ranging from $500 to $2,000 are available through COAD for those interested in supporting the event and increasing visibility through event-related recognition. Nonprofit organizations and government entities that provide hurricane-related preparedness or response services may participate at no cost and are encouraged to inquire about table availability.
Visit www.volusia.org/hurricaneexpo, which includes an online participation form. For more information about becoming a sponsor or hosting a table, contact COAD at coadvolusia@gmail.com. Send news tips to jarleene@ observerlocalnews.com.
JAMES MANFRE GUEST WRITER
Having spent 25 years in law enforcement, eight as sheriff of Flagler County, I am acutely aware of the importance of properly funding law enforcement efforts. Although the correlation is not perfect, for the most part adequately funded, efficient and well managed law enforcement agencies produce the best results for its citizens.
For the eight years I was sheriff, I had to beg every year for the proper funding of the sheriff’s budget of a wildly expanding population. I am sure the fact that I was a Democrat and the County Commission in every year I was sheriff had a Republican majority had nothing to do with the fiscal straight jacket I was placed under. Although the population increased by over 30% while I was sheriff, I was limited to a 25% increase. We managed, with Staly as my second in command, to be efficient and tightly control expenditures. The picture has changed dramatically, and some would say absurdly, under Staly as
sheriff in the last 10 years. The population has increased by 30%, but his budget has increased by over 120% (yes, 120%). The City of Palm Coast’s sheriff’s budget has increased over 200%. As a comparison, Volusia County’s population increased by 30% and their sheriff’s budget increased by 60%. In St. Johns County, the population increases and sheriff’s budget increases are similar to Volusia County over the same 10 years.
Digging into the statistical comparisons, both Volusia and St. Johns counties have student populations five times greater than Flagler. This is important because
crime is predominantly committed by school-age persons. Our student population has barely increased over the last 10 years while Volusia and St. Johns has increased by larger margins. Also the average age of Flagler’s population is 53. In Volusia and St. John’s it is almost 10 years younger. This is important because older adults commit much less crime than younger adults. There are no real pockets of poverty or concentration of population in Flagler as there are in the other counties. Crime rates and actual crime have been on the decrease for the past 15 years in the county and the nation as a whole, due to bet-
It has been the honor of my life to lead the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office since 2017. You can be immensely proud of all the historic, unprecedented, and nationally recognized achievements of your Sheriff’s Office.
Our team has ensured that Flagler County is one of the safest communities in America. Working with our citizens, we have cut crime by over 50% since 2017 to a 30-year low in one of the fastest growing counties in Florida. Ninety-two percent of Palm Coast residents reported feeling safe in their 2024 community survey. Palm Coast is now ranked the 39th safest town in America and second safest in Florida, while Flagler County is ranked 91st out of 3,143 counties in the United States for crime safety.
Fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability have defined the Sheriff’s Office under my leadership. We have a top tier finance staff, model policies governing our budget, and the fiscal controls of the FCSO are regularly confirmed by external and internal audits. Innovation, increased efficiency, and continual cost savings have become the culture at the FCSO.
The Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility has achieved two accreditations and reaccreditation for the first time in a century. Since
March 2022, the Sheriff’s Office has saved taxpayers nearly $5.27 million in inmate medical costs.
The FCSO is now a Five Diamond Accredited Law Enforcement Agency. We have applied for and received almost $8 million in federal and state grants to help make your community as safe as possible.
An independent panel of experts with the Daytona News-Journal has twice named the FCSO one of the “Ten Best Places to Work” in Flagler and Volusia counties, and, unlike most agency’s today, we have no vacancies. The FCSO has met or exceeded all principles and policies for best practices in law enforcement to ensure citizen trust, transparency, and accountability recommended by the Florida Police Chiefs Association and major national organizations.
Community support is strong: 153,000 citizens follow the FCSO’s Facebook page; thousands of citizens call, email, and post to express their gratitude; and dozens of small businesses and families regularly bring meals to share their appreciation with the FCSO team.
The FCSO and individual members of our team have been recognized with over two dozen national, statewide, and regional awards since I became sheriff. The FCSO has won national, statewide, and regional awards for technology, victim’s services, traffic safety, innovation at our jail, and multiple members of our team have been singled out as the best statewide and nationally. This results in the FCSO team being continually
asked by others for advice on how to excel in community trust and accountability, analytics, accreditation, training, crime-reduction, and preventing domestic violence.
In 2016, I was asked by members of our community to run for sheriff, after they had previously fired Mr. Manfre and learned he was going to run again. He had also been fined several thousand dollars and publicly reprimanded by the governor and cabinet for serious ethical violations. This is the same governor and cabinet that honored me in 2015 for being shot three times while saving the life of a fellow deputy sheriff.
Mr. Manfre claims to have 25 years of law enforcement experience, but he has never attended even one police academy. He was elected sheriff twice and fired by the voters twice. During his trial testimony on his multiple Florida ethics law violations case, he stated he was an intern with the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. There is no other verified true “law enforcement” experience. I have 50 years of verifiable law enforcement experience.
Mr. Manfre also claims that crime is “predominately committed by school age persons” and “older adults commit much less crime.”
Let’s look at the facts. In 2025, a total of 3,318 people were arrested in Flagler County — 66% of those arrested were under age 40 and 70% of those arrests were under age 30. Only 11% of the total arrests were people aged 18 or younger and only 20% of arrests were people over age 51.
During Mr. Manfre’s disastrous years as sheriff (2001-2004 and 2013-2016), crime went up 22%. The only years that crime went down were when I served as his undersheriff between 2013 and 2014.
Under my leadership, and with support from the Board of County Commissioners and the City of Palm Coast, along with a motivated team, proper training, better staffing, technology and equipment, crime is down over 50%, despite being one of the fastest growing counties in Florida and amid a population increase of 43,353 new residents and a 14% increase in calls for service since 2017.
To accomplish this, we implemented innovative programs like deputies monitoring juveniles on probation, which ensures a 96% compliance rate preventing and reducing juvenile crime. We have hired and funded 90 new deputy sheriff and professional support positions and raised starting deputy salaries from $36,327 to $56,080 to remain competitive (and we are still paid lower than Volusia and St. Johns law enforcement agencies). And every year I’ve been your sheriff, the county reduced countywide ad valorem taxes, and, in many years, Palm Coast reduced its millage rate, including once a full rollback, while both governments were still able to fund public safety as a priority.
My job as an elected constitutional officer is to protect and serve our community and identify needs to make our community safer. Flagler County recently purchased a new helicopter at a cost of almost $6 million with no
ter recruitment, better training and the use of technology to reduce crime.
It is astounding with all of these over-the-top increases that Staly would accept a donation of a helicopter with all of the maintenance and pilot expenses without County Commission approval. Over 10 years, these sheriff’s budget increases have cost taxpayers over $200 million plus the $40 million cost to abandon the new sheriff’s operation and build a newer one.
No, I am not planning on running for sheriff again, but I would like to retire some day without tax increases forcing me from my home.
Where has all the money gone in the Sheriff’s Office?
There appears to be a dramatic increase in supervisors and what they are paid, lots of superfluous equipment. In addition, the county commissioners and City Council
increased service levels. (In fact, recently we learned the law enforcement technology had been removed, thereby reducing its capability.) I recognized a need for 24/7 coverage for medevac and police missions. This need could not be filled under the current structure, so I discussed a public-private partnership with a business owner. He agreed to sell the almost brand-new helicopter to FCSO for $575,000 in tax dollars and $125,000 of drug seized money with no strings attached. The helicopter is valued at $1.5 million. He donated the remaining value of $800,000 to the citizens of Flagler County. The payment came from non-reoccurring money saved by being fiscally conservative. Under Florida law, no approval of the BOCC was required. As to operating and staffing costs, we plan to operate and staff it within our existing budget.
There will be no change in the number of deputies serving you to do this. This helicopter will enable us to locate lost and missing senior citizens and children and aid in the safety of citizens and our deputies when finding and apprehending dangerous criminals. Sometimes, a sheriff must make hard and bold decisions. This was not a hard decision. It was a bold decision to improve emergency services at a fantastic deal for the taxpayer. When I took office in 2017, I inherited a building from Mr. Manfre which was making dozens of employees continuously sick, technology from the early 2000s, equipment that was old and run down, a chronically underfunded and understaffed law enforcement organization (confirmed by two independent studies and in Mr. Manfre’s opinion piece above), policies and programs which needed to be modernized, a talented but underpaid team lacking the
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have abrogated their fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers by approving these budget increases without oversight. The answer from Staly and his supporters will be that I underfunded the agency while I was sheriff. The problem with that argument is that Staly was second in command and charged with budgeting requests to the commission in my second term, and, every year, the Republican County Commission reduced the budget requests that were made.
There is no solution to this dilemma, as the county remains solidly Republican and Staly is popular, but illumination of an issue is always important. Perhaps in the future, we will elect more fiscally conservative officials who care more about the taxpaying public, who are largely retirees on fixed incomes, than the budget demands of the sheriff.
leadership they needed — and a community craving to have pride and confidence in their Sheriff’s Office. I was never allowed to fix those problems in the two years I served as his undersheriff because Mr. Manfre would make political decisions instead of the right decisions. After you elected me in 2016, I could now make very positive changes as your sheriff — and I have! Nine years later, the results are in, and your Sheriff’s Office is now continually recognized both nationally and statewide for professional excellence in everything we do. Crime is down over 50%! The men and women of FCSO and I very much appreciate your support every single step of the way. Together, we have made Flagler County one of the safest communities in America.
Editor’s note: In response to Staly’s comments on Manfre making “political decisions instead of the right decisions,” Manfre said the following:
“I was in the renovated hospital, which became the Sheriff’s Operation Center, for almost a year and a half, and there were no instances of any illnesses. Some mold was found after they demolished the patient wings when Staly came into office. Mold can be remediated.
“Instead Staly moved out of the building and refused to reoccupy the building — a $14 million cost of the building, which taxpayers are still paying for was lost. It was sold for $750,000 to a buyer who turned around and sold it for $3.5 million. The present occupant found no air quality issues when they bought the building.
“Staly then convinced the Commission to build him a $26 million operation center. So now taxpayers are now paying for two operations centers.”
BRIAN MCMILLAN PUBLISHER
In both cases, the vibe was pure sunshine: People were in a good mood. I stopped by the exit tent
after Creekside and asked the organizers what they observed, since they had interacted with hundreds of people during the day.
Flagler Broadcasting DJ Laura Zublionis said she kept hearing the same thing: “Everyone is so nice here!”
David Ayres, president of Flagler Broadcasting, heard people say that events like this “restore their faith in America.”
Both events require incredible effort to execute. I’m grateful to the organizers; Granada Grand and Creekside are much more valuable to the community than just the money they raise.
MAKING TIME FOR FAMILY
Feb. 4
As a father of five, I’m often looking for ways to spend more quality time as a family. Sometimes, the answer is pretty simple.
Lately we’ve had a hard time aligning schedules for dinner: one eating cold cereal here, one eating leftovers an hour later. But today, my son Jackson put taco soup in the Crockpot earlier in the day. When food is prepared and ready, it’s amazing how easy it is to get everyone to the table at the same time. It takes planning and effort, but it’s all worth it: These are the moments we will remember.
A ‘VERY BRIAN THING’?
Feb. 5
Today, my wife, Hailey,
Kudos to Hammock Community Association
Dear Editor:
Thank you for your coverage of the Hammock Community Association’s (HCA) January meeting. And congratulations to the newly elected and retained officers. This great organization works to preserve the history of Flagler County and, in particular, the area along A1A known as the Hammock. Historic preservation is often lost to the blade of a bulldozer. The HCA also works with the county and the state on safety issues affecting our stretch of A1A, a recognized scenic byway, from Painter’s Hill to Marineland. They advocate for speed limit reductions, crosswalks and other efforts designed to reduce crashes and create
more safety for residents and tourists using our amenities. They are always at the forefront of these efforts. These volunteers also coordinate beautification projects such as regular roadside litter clean ups to keep the area looking great. Kudos to these dedicated volunteers for their continued efforts.
GREG FELDMAN The Hammock Editor’s Note: Feldman is a candidate for Flagler County Commission.
Quick quiz: Who is your city commissioner?
Dear Editor: Most people know the quote from the former House Speaker, Tip O’Neill, who said, “All politics are local.” I like to expound on that and
say “Most all government that effects you is local.”
Your quality of life is greatly affected by your local government. Think about it. The road we drive on, the park we go to, the protections of our fire department, property taxes you pay, and growth are all local.
The feds fund rates, foreign policy and the Bureau of Weights and Measures really aren’t relevant to how we go about our day. Yes the state and federal government does affect us, but nowhere near as much as City Hall.
The point of this is: It’s an election year for Ormond’s City Commission, yet I would bet most people know little about those who we have given stewardship over our town. Not even their names.
I implore you to do your own research and develop an educated vote for these
brought the last bagel to work, for lunch. “See?” she said, holding up the lone bagel in a tall plastic bag. “I left it in the original bag, instead of putting it in a new Ziploc. A very Brian thing to do.” What was that supposed to mean? Should I be flattered? Insulted? Maybe that fine line of flattery and insult is what marriage to your best friend is all about? Maybe she is saying that she’s becoming more like me against her will? All I know is, it’s an efficient way to bring a bagel to lunch, OK?!?
JOY DEPENDS ON ...
Feb. 6
A lesson I learned from my mother: “If you can’t change your circumstances, change your attitude.” She heard it
important positions. They are the stewards of our town. I also ask you not be misguided by the various social media groups who generally are against most everything and do not present an unbiased opinion. And a note about the always controversial subject of growth. John Adam’s said, “A government of laws and not of men.” Our elected officials are bound to follow the law regardless if they personally like a project or not. All of us have vested property rights that can not be taken away. So when you see your commissioner’s vote on a development, whether for or against, understand the why. There are always laws and litigation as a component of any governmental decision. Unfortunately, many development projects end up in litigation wherein the elected officials are barred from publicly speaking with the voters. This leads to onesided social media claims
often from her mother and passed it along to the next generation.
A related bit of wisdom I gleaned from my mother: “Joy is dependent on our capacity to tolerate adverse conditions.”
WATCHING COMMERCIALS
Feb. 10
Last night, my family and I watched the Super Bowl commercials on YouTube. In the middle of the compilation, YouTube interrupted the commercials with a commercial of its own.
A commercial inside of a commercial.
“It’s like ‘Inception,’” my 19-year-old son, Grant, said.
But why in the world are we purposely watching commercials in the first place?!?
that go unchallenged or even blocked. So don’t mistake an official’s silence as agreement.
In reference to the legendary radio broadcaster Paul Harvey — find out the rest of the story.
Ormond is simply a nicer place to live and deserves your educated vote to protect it. Choose wisely and thank you for listening.
S.J. DRISCOLL Ormond Beach
The little boy in the photo
Dear Editor: The Feb. 5 Your Neighbors section of the Ormond Beach Observer, “Community readers,” shows a delightful feature photo of Pine Trails kindegartner Krishnav Patel hugging Deputy Mayor Lori Tolland. Just below and to the right of the embrace, the camera is graced by the sweet smile of an onlooking
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little boy. I believe he added as much pleasure to the scene, and should have been acknowledged. Don’t you agree?
BARBARA MORGAN Daytona Beach
Send letters up to 400 words 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.
Local Realtor spotlights Flagler’s appeal for national audience on HGTV’s ‘House Hunters.’
CHRISTINE RODENBAUGH
GUEST WRITER
Flagler Beach’s slower pace and coquina sand seashore draw tourists in search of a more laid-back destination reminiscent of Old Florida before condominiums blocked ocean views. And sometimes those visitors become residents.
Realtor Associate Deborah Ronson, featured on a recently aired episode of “House Hunters: Amazing Water Homes,” has no trouble sharing all that the area has to offer and connecting buyers with sellers.
“I’ve lived here [in Florida] 46 years, and I don’t regret a day of it,” Ronson said. She’s called several cities home through the years including Tarpon Springs, Gainesville, St. Augustine, Jacksonville and Tallahassee.
The Palm Coast area always seems to call her back; she’s an 18-year resident. Ronson left corporate life about eight years ago and decided to put her energy into real estate, following in the footsteps of her father and several other family members. “It seemed like a natural progression,” Ronson said, “to put my corporate sales management experience and interior design degree into a less stressful career. I market outside Florida and track where I’m getting hits — California, Texas, Colorado, the northeast and Georgia.”
In the last five years, the Flagler area has seen an influx of buyers from Atlanta likely because it’s a relatively short commute down I-95 and offers such a different atmosphere from the urban sprawl.
A friend introduced Ronson to Andre and Folami, the Atlanta, Georgia, couple featured in HGTV’s season 3, episode 9 “House Hunters,” titled “From RV to Oceanfront in Flagler Beach.” Filmed over four days in December 2024, the episode was cut to the usual 20 minutes.
“We didn’t know when it would be aired until about six weeks ago,” Ronson said. She had no idea what would be included out of the four days of filming. The episode premiered Feb. 4 and is available to stream on HGTV GO and Disney/Hulu.
Andre, Folami and their two children had vacationed in their RV at Flagler Beach for several years and finally decided to purchase a home instead of just camping. Their dream Florida home would be oceanfront with four bedrooms, a well-designed kitchen with a view, large bathrooms, a two-car garage, and, ideally, an extra room where Andre could chill out with friends. The budget was $1.5 million.
Ronson went to work forming a list of potential properties and got to know the couple through email, phone calls and, especially, video calls. Ronson’s office is in Palm Coast, but she lists and sells property throughout Flagler, Volusia and Duval counties.
“It’s more about the relationships you build with your agent than the office loca -
tion,” Ronson said. “I don’t go to areas I’m not familiar with. There is nothing more enjoyable than helping people with the next chapter, whatever that may be.”
By the time Andre and Folami arrived for filming, the list was narrowed down to three properties.
“You really get to know what they [buyers] like when you work with them for a while,” Ronson said.
The film crew followed along as Ronson showed the couple an oceanfront home at the target price of $1.5 million, an ocean-view home over target at $1.6 million, and the (potentially) obstructed view property at $1.4 million. Watch the episode to learn what “potentially obstructed view” means.
Ronson said filming with HGTV wasn’t much different from a typical home-showing experience.
“I actually was very comfortable showing the houses and pointing out features,” Ronson said. “I wasn’t nervous or intimidated, and the crew made it very comfortable. It was a great experience.”
Ronson described Andre and Folami as being, “so much fun and so excited about finding this beach home. They were just giddy.” At one point,
for
they danced in a luxury shower that was considerably larger than the RVs.
The buyers had some differences, as most couples do. Folami wanted her kitchen in a certain spot and didn’t really want to remodel. Andre wanted at least a double garage. Spoiler alert: he couple purchased one of the three homes featured in the television show.
“I was really honored to
have been selected in the process to represent the city and county that I love so much and I hope it brings recognition to all the community has to offer,” Ronson said. For now, Flagler Beach is a second home, but Andre, Folami and their two children will eventually relocate permanently to relish the ocean view that drew them to the area in the first place.
BPD took home both the People’s Choice and first place award, dethroning the FCSO.
JARLEENE ALMENAS
MANAGING EDITOR
The Bunnell Police Department took home the trophy for the annual Guns & Hoses Chili Cook-off during the 20th annual Creekside Festival, held on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 7 and 8, at Princess Place Reserve.
BPD took home both the People’s Choice and first place award by the International Chili Society, dethroning the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, who previously won the contest four years in a row.
“Miracles do happen in Flagler County,” BPD posted on its Facebook page. “Today, the Bunnell Police Department stepped into the Guns & Hoses Chili Competition at the 20th Annual Creekside Festival ... and let’s just say — history was made.”
There was a seven-vote difference between BPD and the FCSO.
“All of the judges said it was so close — the scoring points,” said David Ayres, president and CEO of Flagler Broadcasting. “All the chili was really excellent this year, and it was tough. It was very competitive.”
The competition raised about $2,000 for the participating departments: BPD, the FCSO, Palm Coast Fire Department and Flagler County Fire Rescue.
County Commissioner Andy Dance announced the winners at the festival. Each
of the participating departments was awarded a $450 donation at the festival.
Creekside also gave people the opportunity to view student photography, as part of the student photo contest by the Flagler County Cultural Council. The winners were chosen last October, but the
festival-goers voted for the People’s Choice winner: Jackson Scolaro-Muscat.
“We’re so proud to sponsor this student showcase,” FC3
Chair Danielle Anderson said in a statement to the Observer “Working with Mrs. Angela Biggs to spotlight the incredible talent of our students at Flagler Palm Coast High School is one of the highlights of the Flagler County Cultural Council. They represent the best of Flagler County’s education system and the future of our community. We look forward to expanding this opportunity in the future.”
The two-day festival also featured performances by several bands: Slickwood, Southern Chaos, Those Guys and Soul Fire. The Soccer Collies performed as well, and Noah’s Landing was on site with its petting zoo. Funds raised at the event, presented by Flagler Broadcasting, will benefit local charities.
The Creekside Festival had been rescheduled from its
original October 2025 due to inclement weather. Ayres said they were blessed in that regard for their rescheduled date, which took place during Super Bowl weekend. He got a chance to talk to festivalgoers — including about 1,000 pets. It was a showing, he said, of the “real America.”
“Everybody got along,” Ayres said. “The dogs got along. The people got along. ... People left real happy.”
People’s Choice: Jackson Scolaro-Muscat
First place: Isabella Cuccinello
Second place: Jordyn Carnelli
Third place: Brayden
Roe
Fourth place: Annabelle Murray
Fifth place: Abigail Minder
THURSDAY, FEB. 12
CONNECTING TO
When: 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway NE, Palm Coast
Details: Join the Palm Coast Citizens Academy Alumni Ambassadors for an expo featuring the unveiling of the
and
FRIDAY, FEB. 13
RUMMAGE SALE
When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14
Where: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ormond Beach, 56 North Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach
Details: Browse through clothing, household items, collectibles and jewelry for sale. Free parking. Proceeds benefit local outreach programs. Visit uuormond.info.
GALENTINE’S ROOFTOP SOCIAL
When: 5:30-8 p.m.
Where: Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens, 78 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach
Details: OMAM invites ladies to enjoy sweet treats, bubbly
drinks, games, craft projects, music and more. Tickets cost $35 for museum members and $45 for non-members. Each ticket includes a fourdrink flight and fajita bar. Register at www.ormondartmuseum.org/classes-programs.
VALENTINE’S SWEETHEART DANCE
When: 6-9 p.m.
Where: Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway NE, Palm Coast
Details: Enjoy a night of fun at a family-friendly Valentine’s Sweetheart Dance. Open to all ages. Tickets cost $15 per person. Children 3 and under are free. Ticket includes food and drinks. Registeer at parksandrec.fun.
THE NY ROCKABILLY ROCKETS
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center, 399 N. U.S. 1, Ormond Beach
Details: The NY Rockabilly Rockets will present a new show, “Good Rockin Tonight,” nostalgic journey through vintage rock & roll. Tickets cost $49-$59. Visit https:// ormondbeachperformingartscenter.csstix.com.
SATURDAY, FEB. 14 14TH ANNUAL SPOONBILLS & SPROCKETS CYCLING TOUR
When: 7 a.m.
Where: Hammock Community Center, 79 Mala Compra
Road, Palm Coast
Details: Participate in the “We Love A1A” 14th annual Spoonbills & Sprockets cycling tour, which will start and end at the Hammock Community Center. Ride is limited to 100 participants. This is a fundraiser for the A1A Centennial Project. Registration starts at $70. Visit https://raceroster.com/ events/2026/109982/14thannual-spoonbills-andsprockets-cycling-tour.
COUNTRY MARKET
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Florida Agricultural Museum, 7900 Old Kings Road N., Palm Coast
Details: Shop local at the Florida Agricultural Museum. Free admission.
GENEALOGY IN THE LIBRARY
When: 1-4 p.m.
Where: Ormond Beach
Regional Library, 30 S. Beach
St., Ormond Beach
Details: This is a free, oneon-one research assistance program offered by Halifax Genealogical Society volunteers. Convenes in the Sand Piper Room. To register, contact halifaxgensociety@ gmail.com.
DAYTONA BEACH CONCERT
BAND CONCERT
When: 2 p.m.
Where: Daytona Beach
Regional Library, 105 Jackie Robinson Parkway, Daytona
Beach Details: Join the Daytona Beach Concert Band for a concert featuring classical music, Broadway favorites and marches. Free.
ITALIAN FESTIVAL DINNER AND DANCE
When: 5-9 p.m.
Where: St. Brendan Catholic Church Social Hall, 1000 Ocean Shore Blvd., Ormond Beach.
Details: The Father Eamonn Gill Council 13018 Knights of Columbus invites the community to this annual Italian Festival. Dinner costs $25 per person and will be served from 5-6:30 p.m. The Moonlighters will perform from 6-9 p.m. Reservations are required; no tickets sold at the door. Tickets available at the church. Call Vince at 386-4414713. Proceed will benefit the St. Brendan Catholic School scholarship fund.
MONDAY, FEB. 16
MARINE SCIENCE CENTER: SHARKS!
When: 1 p.m.
Where: Ormond Beach
Regional Library, 30 S. Beach St., Ormond Beach
Details: Explore the exciting mysteries of sharks, presented by The Marine Science Center. Free event.
SCHOOL’S OUT FOR ART YOUTH WORKSHOP
When: 2-3:30 p.m.
Where: Ormond Memorial
Art Museum and Gardens, 78 E. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach
Details: Ages 5-12 are invited to join youth curator Emma Dennison and create a story inspired by American multimedia artist and educator, Faith Ringgold. All supplies are included. Seats are limited. Costs $15 for museum members; $20 for non-members. Visit ormond artmuseum.org.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18
PROBUS CLUB OF PALM COAST
When: 11 a.m. to noon
Where: Cypress Knoll Golf & Country Club, 53 Easthampton Blvd., Palm Coast Details: This is a social club for retired and semiretired men and women who meet monthly with a guest speaker and hold social events. February’s guest speaker is Dr. Rossi, of St. Augustine Botanical Garden, Palm Trees in Florida. All are welcome. Join some members and stay for lunch. Explore the benefits of joining Probs, a worldwide organization with 345,000 members in 27 countries and 4,500 clubs. For more information contact Larry Wright at palmcoastprobusclub@gmail.com or at 386-597-3055.
THURSDAY, FEB. 19
FLAGLER TIGER BAY CLUB MEETING When: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Hammock Dunes
The origins of Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is a global holiday celebrated every Feb. 14.
In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius I declared the priest Valentine a saint (over 200 years after his reported death). Pope Gelasius I also declared Feb. 14 as the day to honor St. Valentine, who was a martyr associated with heroics, sympathy and romantic legends.
The Valentine’s Day holiday replaced the ancient Roman pagan festival of Lupercalia, which was held annually in mid-February and originated around the 6th century B.C. Lupercalia was a festival that
was intended to guarantee fertility, health and purification. It featured animal sacrifice, ritual nudity and the peculiar ceremonial practice of priests (Luperci) wearing goat skins and roaming through the streets flogging women with strips of goat hide to boost fertility and ward off evil spirits. Lupercalia was dedicated to the Roman founders, Romulus and Remus, and the Roman god of agriculture, Faunus. Around 494-496
A.D., Pope Gelasius I officially banned Lupercalia reasoning that pagan traditions needed to be replaced with Christian ones.
LEGENDS SURROUNDING
ST. VALENTINE
St. Valentine himself is shrouded in mystery as there are at least three different legends about priests named Valentine or Valentinus (it is possible that two of them could actually be the same person).
One legend states that Valentine defied Roman Emperor Claudius II’s ban on marriage for young men and secretly performed Christian marriage ceremonies. On Feb. 14, 270 A.D., Emperor Claudius II had Valentine executed in Rome for failing to renounce his Christian faith.
A similar legend suggests
Club, 30 Avenue Royale, Palm Coast
Details: This month’s guest speaker is Dave Sanderson, author and survivor of US Airways Flight 1549, which made an emergency landing on the Hudson River in 2009. Costs $45 for members; $50 for guests. Register at flaglertigerbayclub.com/ event-6490411.
ORMOND BEACH AREA
DEMOCRATIC CLUB MEETING
When: 6:30-8:15 p.m.
Where: 56 N. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach
Details: Attend the February meeting of the Ormond Beach Area Democratic Club. The guest speaker will be Marialana Kinter, candidate for District 7 in the U.S. House of Representatives. Like-minded guests are welcome. Visit ormondbeachdems.org.
FRIDAY, FEB. 20
RUMMAGE SALE
When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 221
Where: Flagler Woman’s Club, 1524 S. Central Ave., Flagler Beach Details: Browse items for sale including jewelry, home decor, clothing, toys, electronics and more. It will e held at the clubhouse. Call Barbara at 215-209-9332 for more information.
that Valentine might have been executed for attempting to assist Christians escape from Roman prisons, where they were harshly treated and often beaten and tortured. This legend states that while Valentine was imprisoned by the Romans he allegedly sent the first “Valentine” greeting to a young girl he fell in love with, possibly a jailor’s daughter, who visited him while incarcerated. He allegedly signed the letter “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still widely used today, especially on Valentine’s Day cards. He too was executed by the Romans.
Another legend states that a bishop named St. Valentine of Interamna (modern-day Terni, Italy), is the actual namesake of Valentine’s Day. It was reported that Emperor Claudius II had this bishop executed for converting people to Christianity and refusing to renounce his faith.
The origin of the widespread use of hearts on Valentine’s Day is surrounded by a legend that states St. Valentine gave hearts cut out of parchment to soldiers and persecuted Christians to remind these men of their vows and God’s love.
— RANDY JAYE
BRENT WORONOFF
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
The Flagler Palm Coast traditional competitive cheer team placed ninth out of 44 teams at the Universal Cheerleaders Association National Championships Feb. 5-7 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.
“Last year, for the first time in school history, we went to the national championships and did not even make it to the semifinals,” FPC cheer coach Kim Isom said. “But we stayed and watched the the teams, and the girls said, ‘We want that feeling.’”
In their second year at the championships, the Bulldogs
were not only one of 22 teams to advance to semifinals on the second day of the event, they were also one of 12 teams to advance to the finals on Saturday, Feb. 7, and placed ninth among the elite field. To make it to finals, it’s such an accomplishment,” Isom said.
The Bulldogs don’t have competitive cheer tryouts until October, Isom said. “The girls condition, and we do a lot of clinics throughout our sideline program. They were working on all of their techniques throughout the summer.”
Then in October, the competitive team had daily 6 a.m.
practices. Having practices, so early, Isom said, they were able to see how serious the athletes were.
The team placed sixth in its division at the FHSAA state championship two weeks before nationals.
This year, for the first time, FPC also brought is Gameday competitive team to nationals. That team was eliminated after prelims.
“Hopefully, we’ll get the same reaction from them,” Isom said.
The Bulldogs have 27 athletes in their cheer program with four athletes in both the traditional and gameday competitions.
near The Stage at Town Center.
SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Palm Coast is ending its traditional Food Truck Tuesday in favor of a new event, mixing food and entertainment, called Beats & Eats.
The announcement of the new event series came as Palm Coast finalized a new ordinance that will allow food
truck vendors to operate in Palm Coast outside of special events. The ordinance, finalized on Feb. 3, will allow food trucks to work on commercial properties with permission from the property owners.
Cool Beans Barbeque and Catering owners Keith and Tanya Derstine were among the food vendors providing feedback to Palm Coast staff, helping to iron out the details of the new ordinance.
For now, Cool Beans will remain at their regular location in Bunnell Tuesday through Friday, but they’re looking forward to trying out new locations in Palm Coast.
“We have people that like
our food, that live on the northeast side,” Keith Derstine said. “If we did find a place in the center of town that would be happy to have us, we’d be happy to go there.”
The ordinance also requires food vendors meet state licensing requirements — which they had to do before to serve at special events. That means all their food and serving has to meet health and safety codes, Keith Derstine said, something most people may not be aware of.
Food trucks are not like they used to be, he said.
“The community needs to know that we’re under those guidelines,” Derstine said. “If
you came by and looked at our trailer and looked in it, you would say, ‘Wow, this is clean.’ And that’s how it’s supposed to be.”
Tanya Derstine said the council took the time to listen to the vendors’ concerns and input.
“They respected what the food trucks had to say as far as getting this moving forward and implementing it,” she said.
Beats & Eats will launch in May 2026, according to a Palm Coast press release. Working on the framework established in the city’s newly-approved food truck ordinance, Palm Coast is building a dedicated food truck pad that will have space for eight food trucks, with room for another four in the grass.
These improvements are funded through a $55,000 donation made to Palm Coast on Feb. 3 from the Town Center at Palm Coast Community Development District.
The intent behind Beats &
Eats is to combine the food truck lineup residents enjoy on Food Truck Tuesdays with the Palm Coast Concert series, taking place monthly from May through October.
Parks & Recreation Director James Hirst and Marketing Director Brittany Kershaw, in an email to the Observer, said the response from food vendors has been overall positive.
Feedback from residents over the years has been to request more community events with entertainment, Hirst wrote.
Depending on the weather and band organized for the concert series, attendance at the concerts and Food Truck Tuesdays typically ranges between 800-1,000 people, Hirst wrote.
The Derstines were concerned, though. Food Truck Tuesdays has built a strong reputation after almost a decade in operation, Derstine said, and draws a larger crowd than they have experienced at the concerts.
“People really like the Food Truck Tuesday event,” he said.
During the events for Food
Truck Tuesday from March to October, Tanya Derstine said, they earned between $12,000 and $18,000 on average, depending on the weather. The Beats & Eats events will be an hour shorter, with two less event days. That’s not accounting for any event dates that could be cancelled because of weather.
“We’re taking a huge financial loss this year without Food Truck Tuesday,” she said. Keith Derstine encouraged residents and vendors who also had concerns about the merging events to reach out to the city. Ideally, he said, they would like to have both events available.
“We’re ... trying to enhance the abilities for the food trucks that are available in the city of Palm Coast,” he said. Beats & Eats will occur on the following dates: May 28, June 25, July 30, Aug. 27, Sept. 24 and Oct. 22. All the dates are on Thursdays, except Oct. 22, to avoid conflicts with Halloween and the Palm Coast Fire Department’s Hall of Terror events.
Local attorney donates $10K to Seabreeze theater
Seabreeze High School’s Theatre Department recently received a $10,000 donation from local attorney Jack T. Cook, co-founder of Halifax Repertory Theatre. The funds will support the school’s upcoming production of “Mamma Mia,” to open in the
Seabreeze auditorium at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, with additional performances at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22. Cook graduated from Seabreeze in 1995 and was a member of the school’s American Musical Theatre program, an experience he credits with helping shape his confidence, discipline, and lifelong passion for the performing arts.
“This program gave me opportunities that had a lasting impact on my life,” Cook said in a press release. “Supporting Seabreeze’s arts department is incredibly meaningful to me, especially knowing how powerful theatre education can be for students today.” Cook serves as the primary donor to HRT, helping to elevate and expand access to the arts throughout the county, the press release states. The donation will help provide students with a professional-quality theatrical experience while ensuring the arts remain accessible and thriving within the school community.
Tickets to “Mamma Mia” can be purchased directly through Seabreeze High School at https://our.show/mammamiaseabreeze.
DeJesus was 2025 Builder of the Year; Schwarzkopf is Associate of Year; Annamaria Long received special honor.
The Flagler Home Builders Association held their annual gala on Thursday, Feb. 5 at the Hammock Dunes Club and installed the 2026 president, executive committee and board of directors.
Frank Whalen, of East Coast Building Corp., is the Flagler HBA’s 2026 president. He has served on board of directors since 2008, making him a life director, and has been a Flagler HBA member for over 25 years.
Award Winners Excerpts from the FHBA ceremony
2025 BUILDER OF THE YEAR: Tali DeJesus, 1621 Building & Remodeling. “Tali has been a committed member of the Flagler HBA for years. He upholds the values of the association and is always looking to bring in new members. He is actively involved in the community and owns multiple businesses here. He brings an amazing energy to everything he does and treats all association members like family. He works tirelessly to protect our industry, especially from unlicensed activity.”
is what membership is all about – relationship building and connecting.
2025 GOOD GOVERNMENT AWARD: Rick McFadden, City of Flagler Beach. Rick understands that good government depends on cooperation, communication and mutual respect between local government and the building industry. His willingness to work collaboratively, solve problems and keep the focus on the community has earned him the respect of colleagues, builders and public officials alike.
Interested parties may appear at the meeting and be heard with respect to the proposed ordinance Copies of the proposed Ordinance may be inspected or obtained from the office of the City Clerk, 105 S 2nd Street, Flagler Beach, Florida, (386) 517-2000 Ext 233. For further information about this request please call the Planning and Building Department at (386) 517-2000 Ext 231. The application file with more detailed information about the proposed FLUM amendment may be inspected by the public during office hours at the Planning and Building Department 800 S Daytona Ave Flagler Beach Florida If a person decides to appeal any decision made with respect to any matter considered at the above referenced hearings, he/she will need a record of the proceedings For such purposes, it may be necessary to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act persons needing assistance to participate in any of these proceedings should contact the City Clerk s Office at (386) 517-2000 Ext 233 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting
7763-334500 Feb 12, 19, 2026
The 2026 executive committee includes: Vice President Neftali (Tali) DeJesus (1621 Building & Remodeling; Secretary Teresa Schwarzkopf (Anchor Electric); Vice President of Committees Michelle James (Space Coast Credit Union); Treasurer Donald O’Brien (Hayward Brown); Immediate Past President Robbie Barrick (Integrity Homes); and Past Vice President of Committees Kaleigh Rickard (Smart Guard Shutters).
The 2026 board of directors includes: Builder directors Sam Bond (Ascent Homes), Walker Douglas (Douglas Property & Development), Scott Sowers (Cline Construction), David Whelan (Hulbert Homes); and Associate directors Richard Collins (Goosehead Insurance), Jayme Lunt (Builders First Source), Debby McAlister (Gotcha Covered), Anjanette Stevens (Southern Title) and Joseph Wright (Quantum Electrical Contractors).
2025 ASSOCIATE OF THE YEAR: Teresa Schwarzkopf, Anchor Electric. “Teresa represents the very best of what it means to be an associate member. She is engaged, dependable and always willing to help when needed. She’s a mom, a wife and business owner (where a lot of her family also works). She always has a camera ready to capture a funny moment and prioritizes her commitment to the association.
2025 NEW MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD: Kim Lyznicki, Daisy. When Kim joined, she didn’t waste a moment. Not just showing up, or networking, but offering and providing. Next thing we knew, we had two private tours booked at the Official Show Home of IBS followed by lunch and a tour of her companies’ Experience Center. This
Life directors serving on the board include Tony Amaral Jr., Jim Gonce, Sandra McDermott, Luis Medeiros, Eric Phillips, Robbie Richmond, Charles Rinek, Budd Severino,
2025 ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD: Annamaria Long, Flagler Home Builders Association executive officer. This award was created this year for Annamaria. She shows up every day with a fierce passion and a relentless commitment to doing what is right. She speaks up and ensures that voices are heard that might otherwise be overlooked. Her work creates real change, and the impact she makes reaches far beyond what you see on paper. She is the biggest advocate for her friends. She’s the person who believes in you before you believe in yourself, who stands beside you when things fall apart, and who will fight for you without a second thought. She celebrates your wins like they’re her own and carries your struggles as if they’re hers too. She leads with heart, stands with purpose and advocates fiercely for everyone lucky enough to be in her world.
Ahouse at 1640 Lambert Ave. in Flagler Beach was the top real estate transaction for Jan. 31 to Feb. 6 in Palm Coast and Flagler County. The house sold on Feb. 5, for $2 million. Built in 1982, the house is a 6/5.5 and has a pool, a fireplace, a dock, an outdoor kitchen, a boat house and 4,821 square feet. It sold in 2025 for $1,050,000. The house was listed by Lisa Smith, of Ocean City Realty.
Indian Trails A house at 103 Burroughs Drive sold on Feb. 5, for $285,000. Built in 2000, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, a hot tub and 1,827 square feet.
A house at 118 Bird of Paradise Drive sold on Feb. 5, for $440,000. Built in 2018, the house is a 4/2 and has a pool and 2,208 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $226,300.
A house at 111 Bird of Paradise Drive sold on Feb. 3, for $385,000. Built in 2024, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,992 square feet.
$262,500.
Hammock Beach
A house at 161 Aspen Way sold on Feb. 6, for $990,000. Built in 2022, the house is a 3/3.5 and has a pool, a hot tub, an outdoor kitchen and 2,922 square feet. It sold in 2022 for $779,300.
Pine Grove A house at 16 Pinelynn Drive sold on Feb. 6, for $329,000. Built in 1999, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool and 1,728 square feet. It sold in 2013 for $125,900.
A house at 27 Postman Lane sold on Feb. 6, for $332,500. Built in 2020, the house is a 4/2 and has 1,857 square feet. It sold in 2020 for $244,400.
A house at 21 Point Pleasant Drive sold on Feb. 2, for $359,900. Built in 2023, the house is a 5/3 and has 1,984 square feet.
A house at 19 Prince Kaarel Lane sold on Feb. 2, for $309,900. Built in 2025, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,211 square feet.
A house at 11 Princess Kathleen Lane sold on Feb. 4, for $270,000. Built in 1999, the house is a 3/2 and has 1,678 square feet. It sold in 2008 for $167,000.
Pine Lakes A house at 39 Wood Cedar Drive sold on Feb. 6, for $490,000. Built in 2023, the house is a 4/3 and has 2,353 square feet. It sold in 2023 for $565,000.
A house at 30 Webwood Place sold on Feb. 4, for $320,000. Built in 1987, the house is a 2/2 and has a pool and 1,244 square feet. It sold in 2003 for $119,000.
A house at 38 Mount Vernon Lane sold on Feb. 6, for $355,000. Built in 2001, the house is a 4/2 and has a fireplace and 2,710 square feet. It sold in 2018 for $282,500.
A house at 34 Woodhollow Lane sold on Feb. 6, for $199,000. Built in 1991, the house is a 3/2 and has a pool, a hot tub and 2,306 square feet. It sold in 1999 for $165,000.
Toby Tobin, of gotoby.com, contributed to this report.
Palmer Chiropractic Clinics celebrated the grand opening of its newest location at Halifax Health Medical Center with a ribbon cutting on Jan. 28.
The new clinic will serve the greater Daytona Beach area, including Halifax Health patients and staff. According to a press release, services offered at the Halifax Health location include chiropractic adjustments, decompression therapy and passive modalities. Additional services such as X-ray, shockwave therapy and chiropractic rehabilitation are available at Palmer Chiropractic Clinics –Port Orange.
“The addition of Palmer Chiropractic Clinic to our Lohman Building is a significant step in expanding Halifax Health’s continuum of care, especially for those patients struggling with back and spine pain,” said Jeff Feasel, president and CEO of Halifax Health. “By bringing chiropractic services together with our neurosurgical, pain medicine, and rehabilitation programs, we’re able to provide a truly comprehensive approach to spine health. This
collaboration ensures patients have access to the full spectrum of care they need to move better, heal faster and return to the life they love.”
Palmer Chiropractic Clinics – Daytona Beach at Halifax Health will be staffed by Amanda Vozar, D.C. and Samantha Wunder, D.C., along with students completing their clinical training at Palmer College of Chiropractic.
Paradise Pointe Assisted Living and Memory Care in Ormond Beach is celebrating its third anniversary.
In recognition of this milestone, Paradise Pointe will host a free community event from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22. The event — Models and Milestones — will feature residents and their family members taking center stage as models, styled in partnership with Peppers Boutique Ormond. The event will also include fundraising efforts in support of Paradise Pointe’s Alzheimer’s Association campaign. The show will start at 2:30 p.m. RSVP by calling 386-868-0505.
Led and operated by CEO Darlinda Copeland, a registered nurse, Paradise Pointe was inspired by her parents, who Copeland lost as she brought
her idea of a new kind of assisted living to life. Her father, Don Gammon, died in 2022 and her mother, Barbara, in 2025. Copeland, a former chief operating officer of a hospital, worked with local physicians, nurses, healthcare professionals and community business for the creation of Paradise Pointe.
Following the death of her mother, Copeland established the Barbara Gammon Nursing Scholarship Fund, an initiative to support current and future nursing staff as they further their education.
“As Paradise Pointe approaches three years of serving the Ormond Beach community this February, the dates remain deeply symbolic — celebrating the license approval on Feb. 14, the first resident move-in on Feb.15, and the beginning of a legacy built on love, leadership, and locally rooted care,” the press release states.
The school site is located on the north side of the intersection at Acoma Drive and Monaghan Drive.
JARLEENE ALMENAS
The Volusia County Council unanimously approved an amendment to the Halifax Plantation development plan on Tuesday, Feb. 3, that will allow the Volusia County School Board to sell an 18-acre property previously set aside for a future school site. The school site, located on the north side of the intersection at Acoma Drive and Monaghan Drive, was deeded
to the School Board in 2005 in exchange for cash and school impact fee credits. Based on Halifax Plantation’s Development of Regional Impact and Planned Unit Development agreement, the site was originally slated for a future elementary or middle school. However, in May 2025, the School Board declared the school site unnecessary and indicated a desire to surplus it.
The amendment doesn’t change the use of the property, according to the county. If and when it is sold, the future owner would need to seek a major amendment to the PUD for a different use. It would come before the County Council for approval.
“So it will come back to us,” County Chair Jeff Brower said after the unanimous vote.
“Don’t lose hope.”
Halifax Plantation residents brought their concerns over the future sale of the land to the council.
The property is a “hole in the donut” in the center of the community, said Peter Hartman, board president of the HOA for Halifax Plantation Phase 2 and 3.
“What happens in that piece of property is going to be a reflection on the rest of the community that’s there,” Hartman said. “It is imperative that the HOA and its residents are a part of the continuing development formula that’s set forth in the original DRI, to be consistent with the language and intent of that DRI when it was developed.”
Hartman said that residents were unaware of the potential
When you hire Quest Construction, you get weekly updates on the
himself, Juan Henao.
By Jamie Cuzzocreo,
sale of the school site until they read about it in the newspaper.
Halifax Plantation is nearing build-out of its 2,415 units. Currently, the community encompasses about 1,800 homes with about 4,200 residents. Hartman said the HOA simply wanted an assurance that it would have some governing process over the sale.
Halifax Plantation resident John Maurer expressed concern about a map showing the school site with a future land use of “Urban Low Intensity.”
“While this designation may be compatible with single-family uses, it also indicates compatibility with business uses and manufactured housing,” said Maurer, a retired planner and architect. “These last two classifications are wholly inappropriate and inconsistent with the community design and the original intent of the DRI.”
As it stands today, the property has limited uses. Other than a school, it can be a library, park, recreational playing fields or a community center. Any other use would need council’s approval.
Some residents asked the council to help ensure that the property, if sold, would remain undeveloped or be turned into a park. Pam Crowell said she
bought her home in 2003 thinking the property, which borders her backyard, would remain green. She found out it was a school site years later.
“We do not want any more development,” she said. “We don’t want homes. We don’t want a recreational sports field. We don’t want a community center. We don’t want a library. The developers are chipping away at the beauty of our neighborhood.
Representing the School Board, attorney Alex Ford said the HOA was given notice of the amendment. While the School Board was not seeking to change the property’s use today, the property is under
contract with Serenity Capital Management, Ford said.
Serenity Capital Management is a real estate development company based in Tampa. According to the company’s website, its projects are currently focused on single-family homes, builtto-rent communities, multifamily units, mixed-use developments and retail.
“I don’t know what they would do with it,” Ford said. “... If I were them, I would be looking to do something compatible with the neighborhood because if you don’t do that, you’re going to be facing 20 times the number of folks that are here right now.”
for Daytona’s industrial
A Value-Driven Industrial Market Gains Relevance
A Market Entering a More Mature Phase Daytona Beach’s industrial sector is entering a new phase of maturity—balancing high-profile completions, strong leasing activity, and long-term economic tailwinds. With vacancy tightening, absorption spiking, and major commitments from companies like Amazon and Aura Aero, the market continues to gain national relevance.
Amazon Delivery Drives Absorption Higher
The most significant event of 2025 occurred in March with the delivery of Amazon’s 2.8-million-square-foot robotics fulfillment center in South Daytona Beach. The project, under development since early 2022, was fully preleased, preventing any adverse impact on vacancy. Instead, it propelled absorption sharply higher. Trailing 12-month net absorption reached 3.2 million square feet, most of which was attributable to this single asset. Vacancy, meanwhile, declined by 0.8 percentage points yearover-year to 2.6%, driven largely by a 1.6% decline in logistics space that offset a modest rise in flex vacancy.
Leasing Activity Remains Strong
Leasing activity remained strong throughout the year, rising nearly 70% from the prior 12-month period. More than 930,000 square feet of space was leased across 110 new deals. The largest lease of the year was signed in October, with a 203,000square-foot commitment at 1094 South Williamson Boulevard. Looking ahead, the vacancy outlook appears stable, with only modest upward pressure expected through 2026 as new development moderates and demand levels off.
A Measured Construction Pipeline Takes Shape Daytona Beach's construction pipeline now totals approximately 530,000 square feet across fewer than 10 projects. Activity is largely concentrated in Edgewater and Port Orange, where development remains steady but measured.
Two warehouse buildings at Space Coast Commerce Park are scheduled for March 2026 delivery—one measuring 116,000 square feet with 24-foot clear heights, and another totaling 176,000 square feet with 32-foot clear heights. Four additional buildings ranging from 91,000 to 181,500 square feet are planned within the park. Meanwhile, Karis Cold Storage is advancing a 217,384-square-foot facility along South Williamson Boulevard, also slated for March 2026 completion, with no preleasing announced.
Advanced Manufacturing Adds a New Dimension
Another significant development is taking shape near Daytona Beach International Airport. French electric aircraft manufacturer Aura Aero has selected the region for its U.S. headquarters, committing $172.5 million to a new manufacturing campus expected to generate approximately 1,000 jobs at an average annual salary of $70,000.
The company has already begun construction on a 10,000square-foot hangar at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, reinforcing the area’s growing presence in advanced manufacturing and aerospace.
R ent Growth Remains Above National Averages
Rents continue to rise, though at a slower pace. Asking rents increased by 2.8% over the past year, outperforming the national average of 1.4% to 1.5%. Specialized facilities led all categories with 3.2% rent growth, while logistics and flex properties posted mid-3% gains.
Forecasts suggest that rent growth will ease into the mid-2% range by early 2026 before stabilizing later in the year.
P opulation and Employment Support Long-Term Fundamentals
Population growth continues to support market fundamentals. Oxford Economics projects just under 1% average annual population growth through 2030, adding roughly 55,000 new residents to the region through net in-migration.
Economic growth is expected to moderate, with local GDP projected to expand at an average annual rate of 1.8%.
Employment growth is anticipated to remain in line with national trends, driven primarily by hospitality, education, and healthcare.
Daytona Beach remains a value-driven market for industrial users and developers alike. Competitive land and labor costs, access to major transportation infrastructure, and strong quality-of-life factors continue to attract a diverse range of employers. Established organizations such as NASCAR, the LPGA, Halifax Health, and Brown & Brown Insurance anchor the local economy, while targeted growth sectors include logistics, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and professional services.
Recent industrial deliveries—including three Amazon fulfillment centers and a 700,000-square-foot Trader Joe’s distribution facility—have collectively added more than 1,000 jobs. Together, these investments reinforce Daytona Beach’s rising industrial profile and signal long-term strength for the market.
What Does This Mean For You?
Whether you're an owner, developer, or investor, Daytona’s industrial market is entering a new chapter. Vacancy is low, demand is steady, and tenant expectations are shifting. The window for strategic moves—before pricing and competition recalibrate—is now.
Well-positioned assets and smart timing will define the next wave of winners.
With 14 seconds left in triple overtime and Seabreeze down by 1 point, Sandcrabs coach Ray Gaines didn’t bother calling time out. Christian Simmons already knew what he had to do.
“I’ve told him all year, I need you to be the dude,” Gaines said. “And that’s what he did.”
The dude abides.
Simmons drove the lane, hitting a layup with eight seconds left, and Seabreeze held on to defeat Orlando Jones 70-69 in three overtimes in a District 7-5A semifinal on Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Seabreeze gym.
Two days later, the Sandcrabs defeated Pine Ridge 58-54 to win the district championship and earn a trip to the regional playoffs. Seabreeze,
seeded seventh, will travel to No. 2 seed Auburndale (19-8) for a Region 2-5A quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14.
The Sandcrabs improved to 21-8 with the win against Pine Ridge. It has been 20 years since the last time Seabreeze had won 20 games in a season.
“It’s been a long time since Seabreeze has won any kind of championship,” Gaines said.
FPC’S SANDERS SINKS CREEKSIDE
On the same night that Simmons came through in the clutch for the Sandcrabs, Siah Sanders did the same for Flagler Palm Coast in a District 1-7A semifinal at St. Johns Creekside.
With FPC down by one with less than 10 seconds left, the Bulldogs’ senior center calmly sanked two free throws. FPC forced Creekside into taking a deep 3-pointer as time ran
out, and the Bulldogs beat the team that had ended their season the past two years, 62-61.
FPC fell to Atlantic Coast 40-36 two nights later in the district final. But the Bulldogs (17-10) have done enough to earn a spot in the playoffs.
FPC, seeded seventh, will travel to Atlantic Coast (206) again in the Region 1-7A quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Feb. 14.
Mainland, the top seed in Region 1-6A, will host Ocala Forest in a quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Feb. 14. The Bucs (223) lost to Lake Howell (22-5) 73-61 in the District 4-6A championship game on Feb. 7. But the loss didn’t affect the Bucs’ seeding when the playoffs were announced on Monday, Feb. 9. Mainland could again face Lake Howell, the region’s No. 2 seed, in the regional final on Feb. 28.
Jeremiah Outler scored 26 points for Seabreeze in the tri-
ple-overtime victory. Brown added 22 points before fouling out. Simmons, who is averaging 7.4 points, scored eight against Jones, including the biggest bucket of the game.
“He went left and drove to the lane,” Gaines said. “They tried to take a charge, but he jump stopped and finished off the backboard. We’ve been able to see that in him. I was happy for him that he took the shot.”
The Sandcrabs overcame a 33-point performance by Pine Ridge four-star recruit Henry Robinson Jr. to win the district title.
They say it’s hard to beat any team three times in a season. FPC hopes that’s the case on Saturday. Atlantic Coast also defeated the Bulldogs in the third game of the season, 45-40.
“That was a back-andforth game,” FPC coach Greg Shirley said. It has been seven years and four coaches ago since the Bulldogs last made the playoffs.
Seabreeze girls lost 2-1; FPC girls and Seabreeze boys fell 1-0.
BRENT WORONOFF
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
All three teams came so close to upsetting a No. 2 seed in the girls and boys soccer playoffs. All three lost a heartbreaker by one goal in the regional quarterfinals to end their season.
The Flagler Palm Coast girls fell to 2024 state champ Creekside 1-0 on Thursday, Feb. 5, in the Region 1-7A playoffs. The Knights’ Camila Adame scored on a set piece off a corner kick for the only goal of the game.
The Seabreeze girls lost 2-1 in double overtime to Cypress Creek in the Region 2-5A playoffs. The Coyotes scored the winning goal on a header with about 2 1/2 minutes left in the second overtime.
The Seabreeze boys lost
1-0 to Orlando Innovation in Region 2-5A on Friday, Feb. 6. “We were unlucky,”
Seabreeze boys coach Alex Perez said. “They were a great team — their size and the way they play. We fought to the end. We played very good defensively, and we almost got two goals. We just couldn’t connect on a last touch.”
Perez said senior goalkeeper Chandler Klepper had three or four saves that looked to be sure goals.
FPC senior goalkeeper Natalie Neal, had another 20-plus save game against Creekside.
She had 24 saves a week after collecting 25 saves in the Bulldogs’ 5-0 loss to Creekside in the district championship game to put her over 500 saves for her career. Neal will continue playing close to home. She has committed to twotime junior college national champ Daytona State College.
“The defense played really well,” FPC coach Pete Hald said. “Natalie had a tremendous game, and Eva Sites, our
centerback, played outstanding.”
Katherine Ouellette had a couple of chances to tie the score, including on a breakaway late in the first half in which Creekside keeper Sarah Dresback made a huge save, Hald said.
The Bulldogs finished the season with a 14-3-5 record. They won the Five Star Conference championship. They were undefeated through their first 17 games, and they made the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
“We accomplished a lot,” Hald said. “I think we checked all the boxes. We were hoping for some more, obviously, and it would have been nice if we got to play somebody different, but we put in a great performance. I can’t ask any more from them.”
Seabreeze’s girls took a 1-0 lead with about 15 minutes left in the game, coach Eli Freidus said. A pair of sophomores teamed up on a set piece for the Sandcrabs. Ava Arnold
scored off Hunter Byers’ cross from the left sideline. The home team tied it with less than six minutes left.
Seabreeze goalkeepr Kaia McFarland made a lot of big saves during the game, Freidus said.
“She was a big reason it was a close game. And our defense played well most of the game,” he said.
The Seabreeze girls (9-81) have made the playoffs six years in a row. They reached the regional final in 2023 and 2024.
“Injuries derailed us this year,” Freidus said.
Senior striker Liv Chase, who scored 26 of the Sandcrabs’ 58 goals this season, missed five games with a leg injury.
“She toughed her way (back) starting with districts,” Freidus said.
With just two senior starters, most of the team will be returning next year.
In the boys game, Innovation broke a scoreless tie late
“I think we checked all the boxes. We were hoping for some more ... but we put in a great performance. I can’t ask any more from them.
PETE HALD, FPC girls soccer coach
on a set piece.
“One of their players came from behind; we weren’t expecting that,” Perez said.
“We were marking everybody.”
The Seabreeze boys finished 7-9-5 but finished the season with three wins and a tie in their final five games, including a 1-0 upset of Region 2-5A top seed New Smyrna Beach to win the district championship.
Nereyda Campos provides football toughness to girls basketball team as FPC heads to playoffs.
BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Nereyda Campos knew her basketball career was on borrowed time.
The Flagler Palm Coast senior has been a standout on the Bulldogs’ flag football team since her freshman year. She didn’t start playing basketball until last season.
In the District 1-7A semifinal against Jacksonville Sandalwood on Feb. 4, Campos knew she this could be her final game with the FPC girls basketball team. She wasn’t going to go out without a fight. Campos had the best game of her short career, scoring 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds, and supporting leading scorer Ava Works, who poured in a game-high 27 points, in the Bulldogs’ 74-40 victory at the FPC gym.
“I just had the mindset that we had to start out strong and finish,” Campos said. “And if this was my last game, then just push to the end. But it wasn’t.”
Two days later, the Bulldogs lost to St. Johns Creekside 67-47 in the district final, but on Monday, Feb. 9, they still received a ticket to the state playoffs. The seventh-seeded Bulldogs (18-5) will visit No. 2 Orlando Colonial (20-5) on Friday, Feb. 13, in a Region 1-7A quarterfinal. Tipoff is 7 p.m. FPC is making its first trip to the playoffs since 2020. When veteran coach George Butts took over the team in 2023, he knew he had to find players who could help change the program. That’s how he found Campos, playing against boys in a flag football game at Indian Trails Sports Complex.
“I went out there to watch somebody else,” Butts said. “And I saw her running and guarding boys. I said, ‘I need her.’ She was just what I was looking for. I knew I had to have that type of player here to kind of change the program. If I had one, then the rest of them would catch on.” Campos became a starter during her first year on the team.
“It was tough,” she said. “But I said if I want to get the starting spot, I have to work as hard as anybody else on the court.”
“She’s just a great person,” Butts said. “She’s a hard worker, she runs fast, she’s disciplined, focused and tough.”
Campos’ strength on the basketball court is her defense, a role she hopes to provide against Colonial, which has won eight of its last nine games and is ranked fifth in Class 7A.
Tied in Olympic competition in first meet; Spruce Creek won in traditional competition.
BRENT WORONOFF
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
The Flagler Palm Coast boys weightlifting team had a strong showing in its first meet of the year, tying perennial state title contender
Spruce Creek in the Olympic competition. The teams tied at 45 points apiece in Olympic, while Creek won the traditional competition 61-29 at FPC on Wednesday, Feb. 4. “I don’t think we’ll see a better team than this the rest of the year,” FPC coach Duane Hagstrom said. “They’re obviously in our district. It’s a good way to start — set the bar high, and then after that it’s easy sailing.”
Hagstrom said the Bulldogs were focusing on consis -
tency with none of the lifters attempting max lifts. He said the team’s goal is to hit 85% of its lifts at each meet. In this meet, the Bulldogs hit about 90%.
“We did really well. We just have to keep building on that,” Hagstrom said. “Our goal is to get to the end of the season hoping we’ll be in the hunt for a state title. I don’t really care about the wins and losses so much in the regular season.”
Four FPC lifters won both competitions against the Hawks.
Cody Strawser won at 129 pounds with a 440-pound Olympic total and a 470-pound traditional total. He lifted a 190-pound snatch, a 250-pound clean and jerk and a 220-pound bench press.
Jackson Fedun won at 169 pounds with a 505-pound Olympic total and a 520-pound traditional total.
Landon Gates won at 183 pounds with a 485-pound Olympic total and a 505-pound traditional total.
Matthew McFall won at unlimited with a 605-pound Olympic total and a 660-pound traditional total.
McFall had best lifts of 275 pounds in the snatch, 330 pounds in the clean and jerk and 330 pounds in the bench press.
Anthony Giacobbe won Olympic at 119 pounds with a 320-pound total.
Gavin Battaglia won the 219-pound Olympic competition with 410-pound total.
Two of the FPC varsity starters didn’t lift for points because they weighed in heavy for their weight classes, Hagstrom said. “I wouldn’t let them bump up a class. So we were without two of our point lifters. I let JV guys lift in their place, because the JV guys made weight,” Hagstrom said.
The Bulldogs won seven individual titles, while Mainland and Seabreeze each won one.
BRENT WORONOFF
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
All 13 wrestlers that Flagler Palm Coast entered at the Five Star Conference championships advanced to the finals, and seven claimed individual titles as the Bulldogs won their third straight conference wrestling championship on Saturday, Feb. 7, at FPC’s Anderson Athletic Center.
The Bulldogs won by nearly 100 points, defeating secondplace New Smyrna Beach 244.5 to 149.0. DeLand (87) was third, followed by University (67) and Seabreeze (63). Mainland finished eighth with 34.5 points.
Seabreeze and Mainland each had one champion.
The Bulldogs also held a Senior Day ceremony before the finals, honoring seniors Michael Fries, Doyvonne Leadon and Aidan Korth.
Two FPC freshmen won their first conference titles. Jacob Hald won the 106-pound championship with a dramatic 13-12 decision over Deltona’s Javonni Carra-
turo. After Carraturo racked up eight third-period points on an escape, a takedown and a near fall to take a 12-11 lead, Hald scored on a reversal with 14 second remaining to collect his 30th victory in 34 matches.
Freshman JoJo Foalima won the 165-pound title with a pin of NSB’s Logan Dailey at 3:42. FPC’s other champs were Braden Dailey at 113, Kevin McLean at 120, Trey Twilley at 132, Gabriel Moy at 144 and Ronden Ricks at 157.
Mainland’s Isaac Strozier won the 175-pound title with a pin of FPC’s Leadon at 3:33.
Seabreeze’s Zane DePaula won the 215-pound title with a pin of FPC’s Brian Veal in 1:58. With the postseason fast approaching, beginning with district tournaments on Feb.
Jordan Haymon and Logan Jacobelli led the way in preseason track meet.
BRENT WORONOFF
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Fresh off setting new school indoor track records, Flagler Palm Coast sprinters Jordan Haymon and Logan Jacobelli finished first and second in two events in the first outdoor meet of the season on Friday, Feb. 6, at FPC’s 13th annual Flagler Pinnacle Preseason Classic.
Running into a fierce headwind of negative 4.4 meters per second on a chilly February day, Haymon won the 100 with a time of 11.25 seconds with Jacobelli finishing right behind in 11.35 seconds. Being a preseason meet, the times do not count. The season begins this weekend with the Bulldogs competing in the Louie Bing Invitational in Miami on Feb. 13-14.
FPC will host the 22-school East Coast Classic on Feb. 20. Bulldogs coach David Halliday adds running events at the Pinnacle that are not run at meets throughout the season, including the 300, 600 and 1,200 meters.
“Preseason doesn’t count, so I like to throw the kids in weird events,” Halliday said. “I put my younger kids in the (regular races) and the older kids in the odd races. It’s a little more fun for them,” Halliday said. Haymon and Jacobelli finished first and second in the 300 with times of 36.68 and 36.72 seconds, respectively, while FPC’s Will Roberts was third in 36.94.
FPC senior Arianna Slaughter won the girls 600 and (1:42.68) and 1,200 (3:57.14), while FPC freshman Douglas Seth won the boys 1,200 meters (3:22.03) with Seabreeze senior Hunter Shuler (3:26.55) placing second and Matanzas senior Blaine Vogel (3:26.66) finishing third.
Haymon broke FPC’s indoor record in the 200 with a time of 22.26 on Jan. 31 in his first indoor race. Jacobelli broke the school’s 60-meter indoor record earlier with a time of 7.0 seconds.
“Their fitness and technique are really good for this time of year,” Halliday said. “Jordan never had the chance to do a full preseason for us before because he played basketball as a sophomore and junior.”
19, FPC coach David Bossardet said the Bulldogs have work to do.
“I think we dropped some matches that we let get away from us,” he said. “With the district tournament 10 days away we got to wrestle a lot better than we did today. We just didn’t look sharp. We weren’t finishing our attacks in particular, and that concerns me. We want to be wrestling our best at district, region and state, and I don’t think we showed that today, so we got to go back, make some adjustments and do a better job coaching.”
FPC’s runners-up included Leadon, Veal, Asher Struhar at 126, Lenny Fries at 138, Michael Fries at 150 and Korth at 285 pounds.
Seabreeze’s Cash Kurz was the runner-up at 157 pounds. Christian Vicole of Mainland (113) pounds) and Jayce Gainer of Seabreeze (165) placed third. Seabreeze’s Kaleb Locke (132) and Gavin Getz (175) placed fourth.
Other local boys winners were: Seabreeze’s Drayton Brackett with a time of 1:00.54 in the 400 hurdles and FPC’s 4x400 relay team of Jacobelli, Haymon, Michael Najpaver and Rhett Opalewski (3:30.62). Brackett finished second in the 110 hurdles in 17.08 seconds. Seabreeze’s Aidan O’Brien was second in the 200 with a personal-record time of 22.67 seconds. Seabreeze’s Alex Shargen (1:05.21) was second in the 400 hurdles. And FPC’s Conner Haysbrook (5 feet, 3.75 inches in high jump) and La’Darius Simmons (151 feet, 6 inches in javelin) also placed second.
Other local girls winners were: FPC’s Karina Marcelus in the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.22 seconds, Seabreeze’s Tabitha Hick (1:15.43) in the 400 hurdles and FPC’s Taylor Jones (16 feet, 1/2 inch) in the long jump.
FPC’s Anna Grigoruk (3:58.10) placed second in the 1,200. FPC’s Ella Rose Mballescube (15 feet, 3.25 inches) placed second in the long jump.
BRENT WORONOFF ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Tommaso Compagnucci of Italy earned a check of $2,160 for winning the singles championship at the $15,000 Palm Coast Open men’s tennis tournament on Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Southern Recreation Center.
Compagnucci defeated Ryan Colby of the United States, 6-3, 7-6, in the final.
Compagnucci, 26, is ranked 509 on the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour. Colby, 22, who is from Alexandria Virginia, played tennis collegiately at the University of Southern California and the University of Georgia. He has a current ATP ranking of 931.
Compagnucci also advanced to the doubles final on Saturday, Feb. 7. Ignacio Monzon and Fermin Tenti of Argentina defeated Compagnucci and Manuel Mouilleron Salvo of Argentina, 7-6, 6-4, to win the doubles championship.
About 300 spectators were on hand Saturday and about 200 watched the
The
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School of Palm Coast won the Diocese of St. Augustine volleyball championship by defeating Blessed Trinity of Jacksonville, 27-25, 21-25, 15-13 in the finals. Tied 25-25 in the first game, Izabel Agostinho served two aces to win the game 27-25. Down 11-13 in the tie-breaker, SEAS won four straight points to win the championship. The girls team finished the season and playoffs
final on Sunday, according to a City of Palm Coast press release. The Palm Coast Open women’s tournament begins on Feb. 13 with a wild
undefeated (13-0). Agostinho was named the tournament MVP. Sophia Girgus, team captain Catelina Estinvil and Samantha Collins were named to the All-Conference team. Team members: Francesca DelBonis, Vivian Vadurro, Annalyn Puntillo, Marleigh Manimbo, Ariana Alicea, Simone Garcia, Agostinho, Girgus, Estinvil, and Collins. SEAS has won two tournament championships in five years, with a record of 56-6. The team is coached by Jody Marolf.
A. ZERAH, AKA MARIE ANNETTE ZERAH, AKA MARIE ANTOINETTE ZERAH, AKA ANNETTE ZERAH, AKA ANTOINETTE ZERAH, DECEASED. FILE NO. 502025CP005601XXXAMB NOTICE TO CREDITORS (Summary Administration)
TO ALL PERSONS HAVING CLAIMS OR DEMANDS AGAINST THE ABOVE ESTATE:
You are hereby notified that an Order of Summary Administration has been entered in the estate of MARIE A. ZERAH, aka MARIE ANNETTE ZERAH, aka MARIE ANTOINETTE ZERAH, aka ANNETTE ZERAH, aka ANTOINETTE ZERAH, deceased, File Number 502025CP005601XXXAMB, by the Circuit Court for Palm Beach County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 205 N. Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach FL 33401; that the decedent's date of death was September 15, 2025; that the total value of the estate is less than $75,000, and that the names and addresses of those to whom it has been assigned by such order are:
SION RENE ZERAH, as trustee of the Annette Zerah Declaration of Trust dated 12/11/1995 1010 American Eagle Blvd. Apt. # 335 Sun City Center, FL 33573
SION RENE ZERAH, individually and as qualified beneficiary of the Annette Zerah Declaration of Trust dated 12/11/1995 1010 American Eagle Blvd. Apt. # 335 Sun City Center, FL 33573
RICHARD ZERAH, as qualified beneficiary of the Annette Zerah Declaration of Trust dated 12/11/1995 4862 Avila Lakes Drive Wimauma, Fl 33598
ROBERT ZERAH, as qualified beneficiary of the Annette Zerah Declaration of Trust dated 12/11/1995 40 Spring Hollow Road Centerport, NY 11729
ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE NOTIFIED THAT:
All creditors of the estate of the decedent and persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent other than those for whom provision for full payment was made in the Order of Summary Administration must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702. ALL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER APPLICABLE TIME PERIOD, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
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. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes.
The date of first publication of this
Notice is February 12, 2026.
Person Giving Notice: /s/ Sion Rene Zerah SION RENE ZERAH 1010 American Eagle Blvd., Apt. # 335, Sun City Center, FL 33573.
Attorney for Person Giving Notice: /s/ Jeffrey M. Gad Jeffrey M. Gad
Florida Bar Number: 186317
JOHNSON, POPE, BOKOR, RUPPEL & BURNS, LLP
400 N. Ashley Drive, Suite 3100 Tampa, Florida 33602
Telephone: (813) 225-2500
Fax: (813) 223-7118
E-Mail: JeffreyG@jpfirm.com
Secondary E-Mail: jcason@jpfirm.com
7763-335305 Feb. 12, 19, 2026
GRAND HAVEN COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT NOTICE OF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REGULAR MEETING
Notice is hereby given that a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of the Grand Haven Community Development District (the “District ”) will be held on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the Grand Haven Village Center, Grand Haven Room, 2001 Waterside Parkway, Palm Coast, Florida 32137. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss any topics presented to the board for consideration.
Copies of the agenda may be obtained from the District Manager, Vesta District Services, 250 International Parkway, Suite 208, Lake Mary, Florida 32746, Telephone (321) 263-0132, Ext. 193.
The meeting is open to the public and will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Florida law for community development districts. The meeting may be continued in progress without additional notice to a date, time, and place to be specified on the record at the meeting. There may be occasions when Staff and/or Supervisors may participate by speaker telephone.
Pursuant to provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in the meeting is asked to advise the District Manager’s office at least forty-eight (48) hours before the meeting by contacting the District Manager at (321) 263-0132, Ext. 193. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Florida Relay Service at 711, for assistance in contacting the District Manager’s office.
A person who decides to appeal any decision made at the meeting, with respect to any matter considered at the meeting, is advised that a record of the proceedings is needed and that accordingly, the person may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
Grand Haven Community Development District David McInnes, District Manager (321) 263-0132, Ext. 193 7763-335544
Feb. 12, 2026
LEGAL NOTICE 2005 Ford Expedition with VIN: 1FMPU17505LB03544 was seized for forfeiture by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office on January 18, 2026. The item was seized at or near Old Kings Rd and Palm Coast Parkway, Palm Coast FL. The Flagler County Sheriff is holding the property for purposes of a current forfeiture action 2026 CA 000080 in the 7th Circuit Court. 7763-335578
