GROW INSIDE ORMOND BEACH DAYTONA BEACH HOLLY HILL YOUR OWN In Garden Nook: Orchids not that hard Page A13 Vol. 6, No. 31 Your Local News and Information Source • www.HometownNewsOL.com Friday, Aug. 26, 2011 Community New state laws mean less You can earn money from home talking about what you already know! If you feel like you Notes are an expert on anything, sign up start earning money as a FREE oversight for local development Broadcaster!and Dance clinic planned • STREAM & SELL YOUR VIDEOS • STREAM AND SELL YOUR LIVE EVENTS By John Bozzo Mr. Goss said this will mean less is what local govern- • VIDEOS ON DEMAND ENCORE Baton & Dance For Hometown News paperwork but more responsibility ments use to regu- studio in Holly Hill will hold Also Offering Videos on Demand for local officials, who are still sort- late land use within Sell your event or educational videos online. a free show and clinic from ORMOND BEACH — With slides ing out what the new law means their cities. They 9:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, projected on a screen in a small and how decisions in one commu- are used to plan for Aug. 27. No experience is room, the City Commission recent- nity will impact a neighboring the needs of the SIGN UP FOR FREE! necessary. ly studied what responsibilities a community. communities and WWW.HDBroadcasters.COM For more information new state law on growth and urban While many believe the relax- to protect natural about this free clinic, call planning will place in their hands. ation in state oversight will attract resources. 672858 (386) 527-8360. “Everything has shifted into our more developers and allow for an State review of comprehensive Eval- favor — local government’s favor,” increase in economic development land use plan amendments — usu- uation and Appraisal said Rick Goss, Ormond Beach in the state, some worry it will be a ally needed when a major develop- Give blood, Reports — basically evaluations of planning director. challenge to smart planning and to ment is planned — will be severely whether the goals and objectives of get a bagel Under the new Community cooperation among municipalities reduced under the new law. a municipality’s comprehensive Planning Act, state rules and when it comes to creating infra- The Florida Department of Com- plans are being met — were Florida’s Blood Centers requirements governing how local structure for new projects. munity Affairs, which reviewed required to be submitted to the and Einstein Bros Bagels are government officials make deci- Mr. Goss stressed the stream- those amendments, has, with sev- state every seven years. They are no staging a blood drive from 8 sions on development projects lined rules in his presentation on eral other state agencies, been longer required, Mr. Goss said. a.m. to noon, Saturday, Aug. have been eliminated, cut back Aug. 16 to the City Commission. rolled into the new Department of 27, at the bagel shop in and/or streamlined. A comprehensive land use plan Economic Opportunity. See LAWS, A12 Rivergate Village, Ormond Beach. The Big Red Bus will be See NOTES, A4 Jobs stagnant, more pro’s looking By Patrick McCallister [email protected] VOLUSIA COUNTY—The Florida jobs picture looks like it did last month, and the month before, and the one before that. “We’re still in a fix,” Rick Frasier, president of the Center for Business Excel- lence, said. “We don’t have enough job openings for all the folks looking for work, but we’re still stable.” “Stable,” as in Volusia’s unemployment rate is about 11 percent and has been plodding slowly downward this year. Very slowly. The county had a 12.2 percent unemploy- Gun safety ment rate in July last year. The center is the local arm of the Agency for Work- Officer Robert Ransom of the Daytona Beach Police force Innovation. The Department looks through the barrel of a sawed-off agency recently released its 669762 shotgun during the Kicks for Guns event at the John H. July employment figures for Dickerson Center last Friday. Residents were able to Florida. In a telephone press conference, Rebecca drop off any guns, no questions asked, for gift cards Rust, chief economist, said from Wal-Mart. A total of 174 guns were turned in dur- the state’s job market con- ing the all day event. The Volusia County Sheriff’s tinues stagnating, with Office also held Kicks for Guns events and took 143 unemployment holding at ENTERTAINMENT B1 guns off the streets. about 10.7 percent. Nation- ally, unemployment stood PEACE, MAN Right: Officer Ransom checks out one of the many at about 9.3 percent in July. weapons turned in during the event. “We can now say the Randy Barber/staff photographer See JOBS, A2 Investors hope new restaurants Hippiefest comes to the Peabody Auditorium tonight on MLK attract other business FISHING WITH DAN B9 By John Bozzo specializing in bringing Investment Corp., Mr. For Hometown News new opportunity to strug- Chester's group bought gling neighborhoods and properties and spearhead- DAYTONA BEACH – lives. ed construction they hope Downtown When Gerald Chester was Mr. Chester is president will bring an economic offers great looking to make an invest- of the non-profit Central shot in the arm to the ment, he purposely chose a Florida Community Devel- mostly low-income area fishing neighborhood with the opment Corp. and the area home to a high concentra- highest concentration of he targeted for develop- tion of black residents. low income residents and ment on South Dr. Martin The two businesses sit dilapidated buildings in Luther King Jr. Boulevard side-by-side at the north- this city. now boasts two attractive west corner of Dr. Martin Randy Barber/staff photographer INDEX Most businessmen new restaurant buildings Luther King Jr. Boulevard would turn away from and a duplex. and Loomis Ave. The busi- Two restaurants, the Cold Street Station, An Urban Deli , Classified B8 Out & About B1 those sad statistics to find Working with the city’s nesses, which opened in and the Busy Bee Too Café, have been open since Febru- Club Scene B1 Police Report A5 an area more promising for Midtown Redevelopment February with tenants, are ary on South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Day- Crossword B9 Star Scopes B1 profits, but Mr. Chester Area Board and the non- Gardening A13 Viewpoint A6 heads up a not for profit profit Black Business See INVESTORS, A11 tona Beach. NEED DENTURES? In-House FREE Consultations & 2nd Opinions Denture Lab www.OrmondSmiles.com Affordable, Comfortable & Caring 386-868-4483 SAME DAY QUALITY CUSTOM MADE DENTURES AT 1/2 PRICE Paul Szott D.M.D. WITH FULL PRICE QUALITY 802 Sterthaus Drive, Suite A Repairs and relines completed in a couple of hours Ormond Beach, FL 672859 Quality crowns and implants at discounted prices (Across the Street from the closed Florida Hospital) A2 • Ormond Beach/Daytona Beach/Holly Hill Hometown News Friday, August 26, 2011 People visit the One-Stop Employ- 2” Faux - Wood Blinds ment Center $ located at 359 Bill 25 OFF France Boulevard in Daytona Beach. Any Purchase or Service Call of $50 or More $ with this coupon Randy Barber 39 staff photographer INSTALLED* at time of sale negative and stop going for- cant Solutions. Classic Replica Style Jobs ward.” “I have six clients and I’m From page A1 Mr. Frasier said the cur- trying to expand,” she said. 23”x42” Only rent bleak jobs market is dif- “It keeps money in my pock- *Installed prices with min. purchase $299 unemployment rates have ferent than economic down- et. I can at least keep lights held steady,” she said. turns in the past. on now. Ms. Rust said that Florida “We’ve got more profes- Ms. Harding said working bled jobs for three years NEW SMYRNA DAYTONA, PORT ORANGE sional-level job seekers than on her own is all new to her. ORMOND until October last year. Since we ever had in the past,” he I’ve definitely had to think 676-2628 428-7766 788-7766 then the unemployment said. “Some of those people outside the box,” she said. “I 672949 rate has held steady or are using it as an opportuni- don’t have a marketing slightly decreased every ty to start their own busi- budget, and I’m doing month. The agency defines ness.” everything from home. It’s “unemployed” as someone One is Melissa Harding, a technology based. I’ve had who doesn’t have a job, but single mother of two. to get into the social media can work and has looked for Ms. Harding had been an and things of that nature.” SaveSave Money,Money, EatEat OUT!OUT! employment within four office manager for a local And while it’s been slow weeks. construction company that picking up business, Ms. The statewide unemploy- folded in January, 2009. She Harding said she would not 50 % OFF ment rate increases to about looked for a job for more want to go back to a tradi- 50 % OFF 18.5 percent when counting than two years, and realized tional one-company job in those who don’t have jobs, that many construction this market. GiftGift CertificatesCertificates but can work and haven’t companies had laid off or “I’d not take a job right looked for employment failed to replace employees now, because I’ve learned www.hometownnewsol.com within four weeks. Mr. Frasi- with her skills. It occurred to not to put all my eggs in one er said frustration is com- her that the companies still basket,” she said.