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February 2020 Blog Archive

Operation Vision Zero Kick-off Conference with Officials at Volusia County Emergency Operations Center. Fri, Feb 28, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz – Belden Communications   Operation Vision Zero officially launched Thursday, but City and Law Enforcement Officials kicked the project off this afternoon, by hosting a press conference at the Volusia County Em... Read More

Volusia County Schools Refuse to Answer Questions Regarding COVID-19 ‘Plans’. Fri, Feb 28, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz – Belden Communications   Last night, a little after 6 p.m. Volusia County School Board sent out an auto-email regarding procedural safeguards that are supposedly in place in the event of an outbreak of the Cor... Read More

Governor DeSantis Speaks in Tallahassee with an Update on Coronavirus (COVID-19). Thu, Feb 27, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz – Belden Communications   Governor Ron DeSantis, Lieutenant Governor Jessica Nunez, and Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees spoke to the public this morning with updates on the Coronavirus and its effect on Flori... Read More

The Seventh Annual ‘Taste of Ormond’ Fundraiser to be Held Sunday, March 1st. Thu, Feb 27, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz – Belden Communications   The Seventh Annual fundraising event features samples from 24 of the best restaurants located in Ormond Beach.   There will be music and fun for all including a chance to win a ... Read More

Volusia County Cold Shelters to Open ahead of the Cold Front. Thu, Feb 27, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz – Belden Communications   As temperatures are forecasted to drop across Central Florida, including Volusia County tonight into the weekend.   Highs are expected to be within the low to mid 60’s for... Read More

Ormond Beach Public Library Hosted Panel to Combat Hate in the Area. Thu, Feb 27, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz - Belden Communications   On Tuesday, Ormond Beach Public Library hosted a panel of experts to help in combating hate received from Propaganda provided by White Supremacists Groups.   The panel of experts incl... Read More

Seabreeze High School Softball Program to Host Pancake Breakfast March 7th. Thu, Feb 27, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz - Belden Communications   Seabreeze Highschool of Daytona Beach is hosting a Pancake Breakfast to benefit its Softball Program.   The fundraiser will be held Saturday, March 7, 2020, at Dunn’s Attic in O... Read More

United Flight Detours Landing to Daytona Beach International Airport due to Small Fire. Wed, Feb 26, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz – Belden Communications   A United Flight, an Airbus 320, traveling from Newark, NJ to Nassau, Bahamas made an emergency landing at Daytona Beach International Airport this morning due to a small fire in the ca... Read More

Daytona Beach Police Department Issue Silver Alert for Elderly Man. Tue, Feb 25, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz – Belden Communications   Have you seen this man?    A Silver Alert went into effect Monday evening after 76-year old Akbar Abdul Raheem was reported missing to Daytona Beach Police Department. &... Read More

Embry Riddle Alumni Creates Safety Seat to Prevent Hot Car Deaths. Mon, Feb 24, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   A 46-year old Embry Riddle Alumni has created a Child Car Safety Seat System that notifies parents via Bluetooth notification if their child is left in the car.   The car seat uses a weight sensor that is ac... Read More

Elderly Man Rescued from Ponce Inlet by Coast Guard. Mon, Feb 24, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   Early Monday afternoon, a 65-year old man in a wheelchair needed to be pulled out of Ponce Inlet by members of the Coast Guard.   A ‘Good Samaritan’ call was received by the Ponce DeLeon Inlet Co... Read More

Volusia County School Board Unhappy with Custodial Contract; Looking to Reinstate In-House Custodial Service. Mon, Feb 24, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz    ABM Industries, the current contract holder of the Custodial Services Contract is in big trouble with the Volusia County School Board.   The new Superintendent Scott Fritz is unhappy with their servic... Read More

Operation Vision Zero Goes into Effect February 27; Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Daytona Beach Police Department, Port Orange Police Department, and FDOT to Partner Together. Mon, Feb 24, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz – Belden Communications    The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Daytona Beach Police Department, Port Orange Police Department, and FDOT have had Operation Vision Zero talks in the works for months, ... Read More

Will Volusia County Council Member’s Add the Renewal of the Volusia Forever and Echo Programs to the November Ballot? Fri, Feb 21, 2020   Written by Kristen Schmutz – Belden Communications   Both the Volusia Forever and the ECHO programs are set to expire in 2021. It’s been a known issue, but the County Council has set the issue to be added to their March Age... Read More

World-Famous Budweiser Clydesdales to Make an Appearance at Bike Week 2020. Fri, Feb 21, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz – Belden Communications   The Bike Week 2020 Schedule has confirmed a visit from the World-Famous Budweiser Clydesdales at the World-Famous Beach.   The visit is slotted for March 6-14th of 2020 at ... Read More

Small Plane Makes a Hard Landing at Daytona Beach International Airport; All Runways Closed. Thu, Feb 20, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz – Belden Communications     Around 12:25 p.m., a Cessna Citation Mustang Aircraft was landing at the Daytona Beach International Airport when the landing gear failed, causing the pilot and it’s one ... Read More

Ormond Beach City Commission Passes Redirection of Excess Grant Funds. Thu, Feb 20, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz - Belden Communications   Back in December, the Ormond Beach Neighborhood Improvement Advisory Board unanimously voted that excess funds from Fiscal Years 17-18, and 18-19 to be used to provide additional funding to ... Read More

Eerie Quiet from Governor Ron DeSantis, and his Office Raises More Questions and Concern. Tue, Feb 18, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz - Belden Communications   Over the past week or so it seems as though Governor DeSantis is behind in his duties, which prompted an article last week regarding over thirty Ethic Orders piling up on the Governor&r... Read More

President Trump Made an Appearance at the Daytona 500 Sunday Before Rain Delays 'Great American Race' Until Monday. Sun, Feb 16, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz President Trump is only the second President in history to attend the Daytona 500 in an election year, making it a huge part of his campaign trail. He is also the first President to take a lap around the speedway in a pr... Read More

Is the President Coming to Daytona Beach this Weekend? FAA Issues Notice of VIP Movement in the Area. Wed, Feb 12, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   While the Daytona 500 is the big news for this coming weekend, the FAA issued a notice to expect the VIP movement on February 16, 2020, in the Daytona Beach area.    The Official notice States:  &... Read More

Ed Kelley's Final Address; The Volusia County State of County Address Wed, Feb 12, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   Tuesday evening, at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach County Chair, Ed Kelley delivered his final State of the County Address.  Kelley hinted towards the future of the county and its ties to the aerospace indu... Read More

Ormond Beach Daycare Worker Sentenced in Child Abuse Case Wed, Feb 12, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz Back in May of 2019, Katherine Weitz, 66, of Ormond Beach was arrested for charges of Child Abuse while under the employment of Dream City Academy. Weitz was brought into custody after the Office Manager of the Academy re... Read More

City of Holly Hill Applies for ECHO Grant for Pictona; ECHO to Rank Grant Applicants Tuesday Mon, Feb 10, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   The City of Holly Hill already has plans underway for the Pictona Arena being placed in Hollyland Park off Ridgewood Avenue, across from Holly Hill City Hall. Plans for the facility are to be open come Summer 2020.... Read More

Unaddressed Ethics Orders Piling High on Governor Ron DeSantis' Desk. Mon, Feb 10, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   The Florida Commission of Ethics surely is not happy with Governor Ron DeSantis, and his negligence in reviewing and finalizing over 30 Ethic Order cases that have been piling up on his desk. The Ethics Commission... Read More

Standoff in Ormond Beach Leads to Arrest of Holly Hill Man. Sun, Feb 09, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz Volusia County Sheriff's Office responded to an assist call from Ormond Beach Police Department, early Sunday morning. An Ormond Beach Police Officer reported being attacked by a subject of a suspicious vehicle call accord... Read More

Cheerleaders are Facing Charges for Bullying Special Needs Student at Seabreeze High School. Fri, Feb 07, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   A Tik Tok video of two cheerleaders bullying a special needs student at Seabreeze High School in Daytona went viral last week. The School Resource Officer and the Administration Team worked with the parents of the... Read More

Seabreeze High School Underwent a Brief Lockdown; Volusia Schools Confirms. Thu, Feb 06, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   Kelly Schulz an employee of Volusia County Schools confirmed a report this afternoon of Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach was placed under a brief lockdown due to a report of a student having a weapon on campu... Read More

FDOT and DBPD Will Be Conducting a High Visibility Enforcement Detail until May 2020. Thu, Feb 06, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   According to Alert Today Florida, an organization under FDOT, along with the Daytona Beach Police Department will be conducting a High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) operation for the Daytona Beach Area. Daytona Bea... Read More

Airbnb Announces a ‘Bed Tax’ Began on February 1, 2020 for Volusia County. Tue, Feb 04, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz Airbnb, an online marketplace for local homeowners to put up their homes as short-term rentals announced Tuesday, that as of February 1, 2020, they initiated a bed tax for its hosts in Volusia County. The bed tax, also kn... Read More

First Transit Management Services Will Conduct Contract Negotiations with VC County Council for a Six-Month Trial Period Over Votran. Tue, Feb 04, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   Volusia County Council voted this morning to give First Transit Management Service time to negotiate a contract for a trial period of six months. The Council added that if no contract has been agreed upon then the... Read More

Bethune-Cookman University Accreditation in Jeopardy; School Going into Second Year of Academic Probation. Tue, Feb 04, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   Back in June of 2018 Bethune-Cookman University was placed on academic probation for non-compliance for multiple infractions according to the Board of Trustees of Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSC... Read More

Volusia County Sherriff’s Office Integrating Facial Recognition Technology. Mon, Feb 03, 2020 Written by Kristen Schmutz   The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office has been catching some heat in their recent announcement to integrate facial recognition technology, that their new software will violate resident’s privacy. Sheriff... Read More