ORMOND BEACH
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 13, NO. 28
BUSINESS IN TURBO PAGE 2A
FREE ON NEWSSTANDS | THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2025
New House bill targets school districts’ land banks Volusia County School Board chair voices concern over HB 443, which would favor charter schools. PAGE 5A
An official decision
Leaving a digital footprint
CTE program leads Seabreeze students to digital media. PAGE 3A
Ormond Beach amends its code to keep fluoride out of its water supply. PAGE 2A INSIDE TPO FUNDING
Ormond Beach seeks grant dollars for pedestrian, bike path on Hand Avenue. PAGE 9A
ART IN GRAYSCALE
“The Eye has it” by Judith M. Schutz.
The Casements Camera Club presents its 32nd “Ebony & Ivory Show.” PAGE 1B
Seabreeze Digital Video Technology program teacher Brett Bortle (second from right) helps students (left to right) Max Kitt, Carter Eby and Jayla Harper with the digital camera on the classroom set. Photo by Michele Meyers
SPIRITUAL REALM
Psychic medium offers readings, ‘Paranormal Parlor’ talks in her new Ormond Beach office. PAGE 5B
TOURNAMENT WIN
Ormond Beach Spikes 9U win Greater Orlando Baseball Spring Break Classic. PAGE 9B
Volusia County supervisors save man’s life Supervisors Adam Cozier and Shawn McKlem successfully performed CPR on a laborer who collapsed.
Business..................... PAGE 5B Calendar..................... PAGE 2B Cops Corner............... PAGE 8A Letters.......................PAGE 10A Public Notices...........PAGE 10B Sports..........................PAGE 7B Real Estate................. PAGE 6B
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Two Volusia County Road and Bridge supervisors helped save a laborer’s life on Jan. 27, by performing CPR. According to a Volusia County news release, Supervisors Adam Cozier, of Ormond Beach, and Shawn McKlem, of Edgewater, began chest compressions and restored the laborer’s pulse after he collapsed on the grounds of the Public Works Northeast Services Facility in Daytona Beach. “They restored a pulse before Volusia County Emergency Medical Services arrived, restored breathing, and transported him to a local hospital, where he recovered,” the news release states. Cozier and McKlem had each taken CPR classes on their own, and this was the first time they put their training to use, the county reported. Cozier is responsible for the
MEET OMAM’S FEATURED ART NIGHT FAMILY FOR MARCH The Brown family, of Ormond Beach, were selected as Ormond Memorial Art Museum’s featured family from the museum’s March 7 Free Family Art Night event. “We have been coming to the Ormond Memorial Art Museum for years with the generations of our family which includes three children and our niece,” the family said in a statement to the museum. “It is enjoyable to come to the museum classroom on the first Friday of each month with Mrs. King, who was our son’s art teacher when he went to VPK 10 years ago” The next Art Night program is scheduled for April 4.
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YOUR TOWN
Volusia County Road and Bridge supervisors Shawn McKlem and Adam Cozier. Courtesy photo
maintenance of drainage structures throughout the county and began working with the county in 2010 as an equipment operator. He was promoted to Road and Bridge supervisor in 2021. McKlem coordinates road maintenance services and is a Public Works supervisor. He joined the Road and Bridge team in 2005.
“Their quick actions, along with those of other Road and Bridge staff and our EMS team, played a key role in saving the man’s life,” County Manager George Rectenwald said in the press release. “Their response also demonstrates the importance of community members becoming educated in handsonly CPR.”
The Brown family: Sarah, Kipton, Charlie and Kelsea. Courtesy photo