Eric Lewis Golf Benefit

DAYTONA BEACH - NBA referee Eric Lewis, a Daytona Beach native and resident, is hosting a golf tournament on Saturday, Aug. 27 at the Daytona Beach Golf Club. Proceeds from the tournament will support youth programs at the Cypress Street Rec Center, also known as the PAL Center, which is located at 925 George W. Engram Blvd. in Daytona Beach.

Registration begins at 7:30, with a shotgun start at 8:30. The cost is $65 per person or $250 per foursome and includes cart fees, lunch and an awards ceremony.

As a youth, Lewis, who graduated from Mainland High School in 1989, participated in programs including basketball and swimming at the city-owned Cypress Street Rec Center/PAL Center.

NBA players including Vince Carter (NJ Nets), Chucky Atkins (Washington Wizards), Tony Bobbit (LA Lakers) and Drew Goodin (Cleveland Cavaliers) are scheduled to play as well as veteran NBA referees David Jones and Scott Wall.

For more information about the tournament, call James Henry at (386) 212-3306.
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B-CC Encourages Churches to Welcome Students

Bethune Cookman College (B-CC) invites area churches to help welcome new students at registration this year. If you have information that you would like to provide for the students please mail it to the attention of: Mr. Les Ferrier, Director of Admissions, 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114.

You are also encouraged to seek other ways to be of assistance to B-CC students during this 2005-06 school year. These gifted young women and men come from all over the world and are need of constant encouragement, nurture and care.

Sunday, Feb. 9, 2006, has been declared as 'Bethune Cookman Legacy' Sunday. This is a wonderful opportunity to have as your special guest a student from the college to come and share their story. Look for more details in the coming months!
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Alpha Phi Alpha Scholarship Awards Show and Dance

The Black & Gold Scholarship Awards Show and Dance will feature music from the legendary Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, who will be performing hit classics such as, "If You Don't Know Me By Now," and "Bad Luck." Also featured will be Sharon Paige and the "LOVE" Band. Tickets are $55. The event will be held at the Daytona Beach Ocean Center, 101 N. Atlantic Avenue, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Chapter president Craig Scott at (386) 334-7243.
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Healthy Start Coalition

Please be advised that the Healthy Start Coalition of Flagler & Volusia Counties, Inc. will be holding a meeting for the Healthy Volusia-Low Birthweight/Infant Mortality Meeting. The meeting will take place at Healthy Start Coalition, 135 Executive Circle, Suite 101, Humana Conference Room, Daytona Beach on Thursday, Sept. 8 from 2 to 4 p.m. For further information, please contact Flory DuBreuze at (386) 252-4277.
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Healthy Start Coalition Meeting Rescheduled

Please be advised that the Healthy Start Coalition of Flagler & Volusia Counties, Inc. Board of Directors meeting has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 31. The meeting will take place at the Assessment Center, 955 G. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach. The previously scheduled meeting for August 17 has been cancelled. For further information, please contact Flory DuBreuze at (386) 252-4277.
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Health Dept. Lifts Blue Spring Swimming Advisory

ORANGE CITY - The Volusia County Health Department is lifting the precautionary swimming advisory for Blue Spring State Park in West Volusia. The swimming advisory had been in place since July 28th because of high levels of enterococcus bacteria. Recent samples of the water show improved levels of bacteria. Routine sampling of the springs will continue.
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Ormond Beach Symphony

'Around the World with Seven Harps', 50-piece orchestra with 20-member choir will perform at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center, 399 N. US1.
Tickets are $20 or $30; call WELE Radio at 677-4122 or the PAC box office at 676-3375 for tickets.
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Ormond Beach Happenings

Sports Registration deadlines approaching: Aug. 15 is the registration deadline for Fall-Winter Adult Co-ed Softball, through the city's Leisure Services Department. Registration is also going on now for Youth Coed Volleyball and Youth Flag Football. Call 676-3280 for details.

Police to receive grant for Narcotic Task Force computers: The Police Department has been approved for a grant of over $11,254 toward the purchase of computer equipment for the city's Narcotic Task Force. The city will provide a match of $1,746 from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund. Total project costs are $13,000, which includes two laptop computers, a server, software and other improvements.

Birthplace of Speed Park improvements: In response to citizen and City Commission requests, a new handrail will be installed on the steps on the north side of The Birthplace of Speed Park at A1A and Granada Boulevard. The work should be completed within 30 days.

Officer Dan Jordan honored by Citizens Police Academy: Police Officer Dan Jordan has been selected as the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association (CPAAA) Officer of the Quarter. In the short period of time that he has been at the Police Department, Officer Jordan has become an outstanding officer, according to Police Chief Larry Mathieson, who noted his strength, compassion, good sense of humor and the high level of pride he takes in his work.

Cassen Park Repairs: Replacement of the dock and fence at Cassen Park, on Beach Street across from City Hall, is continuing, as noted in a recent update to the City Commission. Staff has received approval from FEMA for the replacement of the fence and the docks. The city's fence contractor is waiting on some of the specialized materials before work can proceed, at which time the new fence will be installed within 30 days. The extensive dock repair and replacement work has been scheduled for September.
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Barry Baker honored as Florida Fire Chief of the Year:

ORMOND BEACH - Fire Chief Barry Baker was honored last week as the Florida Fire Chief of the Year for 2005 by the Florida Fire Chief's Association at its annual conference in St. Petersburg.

Baker was named Ormond Beach Fire Chief in 1997 and directed the City's response to the area-wide wildfires of 1998 in 'Operation Firestorm.' As a career firefighter with 37 years of experience, his accomplishments include working with eight other east-Volusia cities to develop the closest unit response system and helping to develop uniform testing standards for new firefighters throughout Volusia County last year.

Baker became eligible for the statewide honor after he was voted the Volusia County Fire Chief of the Year several weeks ago. He currently serves as the FFCA's Second Vice-President, the State Emergency Response Committee Chairperson, and as a board member for the Central Florida Prescribed Burn Council. Baker is also Vice-Chair of the Florida Fire And Emergency Services Foundation and is a board member of the Emergency Medical Foundation, which operates EVAC.
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DBCC To Offer Lifeguarding Course

DAYTONA BEACH - Daytona Beach Community College
(DBCC) will be offering an American Red Cross certified lifeguarding course to help individuals develop skills and gain experience that will be valued by colleges and future employers. Participants will learn how to prevent accidents through knowledge of lifeguarding, proper use of equipment and realization of responsibilities.

The course begins on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 9 a.m. This is a pre-test day in order to assess ability to swim 500 yards and retrieve a brick from the bottom of the pool using a surface dive. The course continues Monday, Sept. 12 through Friday Sept. 16, from 5 to 8 p.m., and concludes on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. All classes must be attended in order to be certified. Course fee is $150 per participant.

The course consists of classroom and pool time and will be held at the L. Gale Lemerand Center (Bldg. 310) on the Daytona Beach Campus located at 1200 W. Int'l Speedway Blvd. For additional information call (386) 506-4386
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DBCC Announces Cheerleading Tryouts

DAYTONA BEACH - The Student Activities Department at
Daytona Beach Community College (DBCC) is inviting currently enrolled DBCC students who are interested in cheerleading to tryout for the 2005-06 cheerleading team. The Falcon cheerleaders perform at all men's and women's home basketball games, as well as at various campus events, and participate in community service projects. Experienced or beginner cheerleaders are welcome.

Open tryouts will be held on Friday, Sept. 2 from 5 p.m. in the L. Gale Lemerand Center (bldg. 310) on the Daytona Beach Campus located at 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd. For more information call (386) 506-4417.
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Leadership Skills Topic Of FPRA Luncheon

DAYTONA BEACH - The Volusia County Chapter of FPRA will hold its next monthly luncheon on Tuesday, Aug. 16 in the Volusia Room at the Daytona Beach International Airport.

The August monthly luncheon will feature guest speaker James R. Ryan, Director of Volusia County Emergency Management. Ryan, who is a retired military officer, will speak on the topic of leadership skills.

The luncheon will also feature the recognition of the 2004-05 officers and board of directors for the Volusia Chapter as well as installation of the new board for 2005-06.

Check-in for the luncheon begin at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $15 for FPRA members, $10 for students and $17 for guests (walk-ins pay an additional $2). For reservations, please contact Pat Kuehn at (386) 763-2630 or pat.kuehn@palmer.edu.
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Committee Unveils Component Of Proposed NASCAR Hall

DAYTONA BEACH - Daytona's Green Flag Committee released information on another component of their NASCAR Hall of Fame proposal. 'You're in the Driver's Seat' is slated to be another new high-tech attraction at the proposed Hall of Fame.

"This innovative technology is referred to as 'telepresence.' Each of eight high-tech play stations are linked to a miniature remote-controlled 26-inch scale model of a NASCAR competition car," said David Exline creative director for Daytona's Green Flag Committee. "Each mini-racing machine is also outfitted with a wireless video camera with patented wide-field optics for a true-to-scale experience, mounted just inside each mini windshield. This remarkable video technology has been developed by BCAT, L.L.C., of Southern California."

Exline adds, "This state-of-the-art attraction will be unlike any interactive experience anywhere on the planet."

Area residents are encouraged to show their support for locating the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Daytona Beach by attending the Green Flag Committee's rally at the front entrance of DAYTONA USA on Tues., Aug. 9 at 9:15 a.m. Supporters are asked to wear either NASCAR-themed gear or bright green t-shirts, symbolizing a green flagâ for the Daytona Beach facility. Members of the public will receive NASCAR Hall of Fame buttons, stickers, and commemorative bottled water. Doughnuts will be provided courtesy of Krispy Kreme of Daytona. In addition, a live radio remote broadcast by 95.7 HOG and Frank Scott will also take place.

For more information on the NASCAR Hall of Fame project, contact Kevin Kilian at The Chamber, (386) 255-0981 or kevin@daytonachamber.com.
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Volusia ECHO Meetings Rescheduled

The Volusia County Environmental, Cultural, Historical and Outdoor (ECHO) advisory committee meetings scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 10 and Wednesday, Aug. 24 have been canceled.

The next meeting will be Wednesday, Sept. 14, 3 p.m., in the County Council chambers of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand.

For more information on Volusia ECHO, please contact Margaret Hodge, program coordinator at (386) 740-5210 ext. 2009.
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You Are Not Alone

ORMOND BEACH - VITAS Innovative Hospice Care offers bereavement support to anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one. These groups offer understanding, useful information and sharing with others who are grieving.
The next six-week bereavement group begins Tuesday, Sept. 6, 6-7:30 p.m. and continues every Tuesday through October 11 at Ridgecrest Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. The group will be led by Chaplain Sedrick L. Harris.
To register or for more information, call Harris, VITAS chaplain, 386-671-2792, or Amy Rehrig, director of admissions and marketing, Ridgecrest Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, 386-734-4334 ext. 206.
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Volusia County Sheriff Promotes Two Deputies

It was professional drive, dedication and dogged determination that helped earn Bruce Fleischmann promotion Thursday as the Volusia County Sheriff's Office's newest lieutenant. "It's with great honor that I present this to you," Sheriff Ben Johnson said as he handed Fleischmann his lieutenant's bar.
"You've earned it."

A U.S. Navy and Vietnam veteran, the 54-year-old Fleischmann has been with the Sheriff's Office for nearly 16 years. A police officer in Edgewater, Daytona Beach Shores and Beaumont, TX, before coming to the Sheriff's Office, Fleischmann is married and has four children.

Also promoted Thursday to the rank of sergeant was Tara Lynn Savercool. Sergeant Savercool, 33, started as a reserve deputy with the Sheriff's Office in February 1994. She was promoted to a full-fledged deputy in August 1995 and has spent most of her time in road patrol.
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June Tourist Tax Collections Up More Than 10 Percent

DAYTONA BEACH - Bed tax collections on June rentals in the Halifax Taxing District were up 10.22 percent over the same period a year ago, according to the latest Tourist and Convention Development Tax report released by Volusia County Financial and Administrative Services.

In June, the six percent Convention Development Tax on Daytona Beach area hotel rooms and other short-term rental properties generated $581,659 up from $527,738 in June 2004.

"This report illustrates what we have been hearing from local businesses throughout the summer, that the Daytona Beach area is in the midst of one of its strongest summer tourist seasons on record," says Halifax Area Advertising Authority Chair Blaine Lansberry. "We believe the July 2005 collection report will show increases over the previous year as well."
By Florida law, the CDT is designated for the promotion of tourism in Volusia County. The tax is collected on short-term rentals and paid by overnight visitors that stay in the area. The Halifax Taxing District includes the greater Daytona Beach area from Ormond By The Sea, south to Ponce Inlet.
The Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc., is a not-for-profit corporation directed by the Halifax Area Advertising Authority to market the Daytona Beach area as a year-round tourism destination with an emphasis on family travel.