JAY’S INSIDE ORMOND BEACH DAYTONA BEACH HOLLY HILL HOPE Family helps mentally ill in honor of son Page A2 Vol. 6, No. 49 Your Local News and Information Source • www.HometownNewsOL.com Friday, Dec. 30, 2011 Community & Hometown News Wish You Happy Holidays! • Implants Notes $ IS IT GAMBLING? • Crowns 995 Votran trolley and $675 • Denture • Cleaning & Polishing $495 night service fares $ Welcome 65 waived for to Our Office Kerri Graham, D.M.D. See ad in this section for more information New Year’s Eve 683910 386-944-5002 Votran waives fares for 802 Sterthaus Drive, Suite A • Ormond Beach, FL New Year’s Eve trolley and (Across the Street from the closed Florida Hospital) night service beginning at 7 p.m. Dec. 31. The trolleys will serve the Main Street Daytona Beach New Year’s Eve celebration and other destinations on It was all about Atlantic Avenue. The trolley route operates from Grana- da Boulevard to Dunlawton the (lack of) Avenue with a loop onto Beach Street between Orange Avenue and Inter- money in 2011 See NOTES, A6 Randy Barber/staff photographer By Patrick McCallister have had to cut employees U Lucky Dog Internet Café in Daytona Beach. For Hometown News or cut hours,” she said. “That thought of a raise Supporters of Internet cafés say they are nothing more than a fun place to was laughable to many in VOLUSIA COUNTY — the private sector. We’d be spend an evening playing games while opponents call them gambling Most of the stories out of tone deaf if we weren’t Volusia County govern- hearing that from the pri- houses and are intent on banning them from the state ment in 2011 revolved vate sector.” around money, more In December, the county By Dan Harkins poker.” A sunset view of the beach specifically, the lack there- adopted a local-hiring For Hometown News glows dimly through the open front of. preference ordinance for door. venders and contractors DAYTONA BEACH — On a recent “This is a relaxing place to meet Raised up that are local or use local quiet Saturday evening, Charlotte friends,” Ms. Odegaard said. “I don’t labor. In this case, local Odegaard is manning the register at have any problems with the city and The last time Volusia was defined as Volusia, her U Lucky Dog Internet café on they haven’t had any problems with County employees got a Brevard, Lake, Orange, North Atlantic Avenue and playing a me.” pay raise was 2008. In Osceola, Flagler and Semi- game of Angry Birds on her iPad. But not everyone likes the plethora November, the Volusia nole counties. Businesses In the small strip mall space that of Internet cafés springing up lately. County Council voted to located in those areas get could house a diner or consignment What Ms. Odegaard refers to as a give most a 3.5 percent pay up to a 5-percent prefer- shop, two long rows of computer ter- “relaxing place to meet friends,” many hike. Council member Joie ence on bids for county minals flash silently, each displaying others refer to as thinly veiled gam- Alexander, New Smyrna jobs. the colorful graphics of different bling houses intent on skirting the Beach, was alone in voting Fighting Against Injus- games of chance. One elderly cus- state’s anti-gambling laws and bring- against the raise. tice Towards Harmony, an tomer is silently playing keno, or what “The main reason is organization of local aficionados refer to as “the other See GAMBLING, A10 simply because many I know in the private sector See MONEY, A12 Employment officials ‘somewhat’ optimistic about 2012 By Patrick McCallister mists say peaked in Decem- claims since April 2008. ness Excellence, said the over the last several For Hometown News ber 2007. The effects have Florida has, or is poised to, local economy is likely to months. I see reports about dogged the local, national break and stay below 10 keep improving throughout improved retail sales and VOLUSIA COUNTY — and world economies ever percent unemployment, 2012 — maybe. consumer confidence.” Four years after the econo- since. the lowest levels in about “I’m getting increasingly But… my took a nose dive, terms But good news seems to two and a half years. That’s optimistic that 2012 will “I don’t have a crystal such as “economic down- be emerging. According to a two point drop in unem- show us continued ball,” Mr. Fraser added. “If turn,” “long recession” and the U.S. Labor Department, ployment from the previous improvement in not only there’s another world event “jobless recovery” have initial claims for unemploy- year. employment but the econo- out of our control that caus- become cliché. Whatever ment insurance dropped to All good news for Volusia? my in general,” he said. “I es the economy to sputter, 688493 it’s called, it started with the about 364,000 the week Are jobs coming to town? continue to see good my predictions are out the bursting of the U.S. housing ending Dec. 17. That’s the Rick Fraser, president of trends. (Unemployment) bubble, which many econo- lowest number for initial the local Center for Busi- remained stable or dropped See OPTIMISTIC, A4 ENTERTAINMENT B1 Begging for food Lil’ Santa CLASSIC downtown banned By Patrick McCallister Lani van Petten spoke for For Hometown News Fighting Against Injustice Broadway Toward Harmony, or FAITH, show DAYTONA BEACH — Ask- a local organization of features ing for food on Beach Street churches and faith groups. favorites can now fetch up to two She said that if the commis- months in jail and a $500 sion passed the ordinance it fine. would be reneging on its At its most recent meet- purpose and responsibili- ing, the Daytona Beach City ties. Commission added requests “We’re looking mostly at FISHING WITH DAN B7 for food in the downtown decriminalizing homeless- business district to its anti- ness as an objective FAITH panhandling ordinances. wants to reach,” she said. About a dozen meeting “This looks to be going in Peanut vs. attendees spoke against the the wrong direction. Our snook restriction. Two spoke for it. city commission is the one “It’s giving the police an to bring us together to find extra tool to keep shopping solutions, not criminalizing areas open,” Todd Null told homelessness.” the commission. “(Beach The commission unani- Street business owners) mously approved the new panhandling restriction. INDEX have been very gracious to the homeless who come by, Commissioner Patrick Randy Barber/staff photographer but there’s a very small per- Henry said the vote wasn’t Classified B10 Police Report A5 Volunteer Anne Moore, 15, of Ormond Beach paints 4-year-old Xavier Manigault’s centage that are very aggres- about criminalizing home- Crossword B6 Star Scopes B1 sive, and that’s what we’re face during the annual Ormond Beach Elks Lodge Christmas party recently. More Viewpoint Out & About B1 A6 trying to stop.” See BEGGING, A10 than 250 children in need enjoyed food, games, treats and a visit with Santa Claus. 684131 A2 • Ormond Beach/Daytona Beach/Holly Hill Hometown News Friday, December 30, 2011 Jay’s Hope: Family who lost a son to mental illness starts fund to help others By Diane Carey news like that? In the case of hood, his mother said, com- and easy laugh.” For Hometown News the Ashbys, they grieved, plete with fishing, sports, art But Ms. Ashby said things learned to cope and then did and music. gradually began to change. It was the call parents have something to try to prevent “We have wonderful mem- She and her husband wrote nightmares about receiving other families from going ories of him furiously drib- off some of Jay’s behavior to — the one telling them their through the heartbreak they bling a basketball down the normal teen rebellion, but child is dead. were suffering. They set up a court or soccer field,” she then began to see mood Hank and Susan Ashby got fund to help the other “Jays” said. “In high school he swings, a gradual withdraw- that call in 2010. A police out there, who just like their enjoyed participating in ing from his longtime friend- detective told them their 25- son, suffer from mental ill- sports, was in several honors ships, and paranoia. Later year-old son, Jay Carter ness. They call it the Jay’s classes, and worked part the changes became more Ashby, had taken his own life. Hope Fund. time. He was a delightful pronounced and in his early What does anyone do with Jay had a normal child- youngster with a big smile 20s, Jay was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a severe mental illness that causes elevated and depressed moods and distor- tions in perception. Jay kept getting worse — he ignored his appearance and secluded himself. Dur- ing his early 20s he was seen by numerous counselors and therapists and was in and out of various public and private treatment facilities. But he became less aware of his need for treatment and med- ication, and as Jay began slipping deeper into mental illness, his parents felt truly alone. Ms. Ashby said when Jay was able to reach out, he fre- Photo courtesy of the Ashby family quently had to wait for help. “Although well-qualified Jay Ashby on a 2002 mission trip to Haiti. mental health experts were available in the area,” she recognize a need for bring about a better under- said, “a long waiting list pre- improved services. The Fund standing of mental illness. vented Jay from getting help was created shortly after Jay’s “We felt that the funding when he needed it the most.