Note: 👉👉👉 You can always READ ONLINE

Today’s Forecast

See More Details at Weatherbug

Tropical Update

🏙️ Ormond Beach Sets Course for Permanent Data Center Ban

Ormond Beach leaders are moving forward with plans to permanently prohibit data centers while an 18-month moratorium remains in effect. City officials outlined a timeline that includes Planning Board review in September, City Commission hearings this fall and final approval expected in early 2027. The moratorium gives staff time to complete the comprehensive plan and land development code amendments needed to make the ban legally sound. Although residents generally support the city's direction, several speakers urged commissioners to move more quickly. In response, officials agreed to create an online portal so residents can track the ban's progress, while also monitoring Volusia County's consideration of its own data center moratorium.

Source: Ormond Observer

🏁 NASCAR's Clash Returns Home to Daytona

After five years away, NASCAR's season-opening exhibition race is returning to Daytona International Speedway for Speedweeks 2027. The event, now renamed the Wheatley Vodka Clash through a new multi-year sponsorship agreement, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2027, on Daytona's iconic oval. Since leaving Daytona after the 2021 season, The Clash has been staged at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and, most recently, Bowman Gray Stadium in North Carolina. Speedway President Frank Kelleher said bringing the event back adds another marquee attraction to an already exciting Speedweeks schedule, giving fans even more opportunities to experience one of NASCAR's most celebrated traditions.

Source: NewsDaytonaBeach

🚀 Blue Origin Identifies Cause of New Glenn Explosion

Blue Origin says a faulty oxygen valve was responsible for the New Glenn rocket explosion that occurred during a static fire test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in May. CEO Dave Limp announced that engineers traced the issue to one of the rocket's BE-4 engines and said updated hardware is expected to be ready by the end of the month. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident. The company is continuing work with NASA on additional upper-stage testing in Mississippi and remains focused on returning New Glenn to flight before the end of the year. The reusable heavy-lift rocket is designed to play a key role in future commercial and government space missions.

Source: WESH.com

Property Tax Poll Results

A total of 119 readers participated in the poll.

• 46 (38.7%) favored cutting property taxes.

• 48 (40.3%) preferred leaving property taxes unchanged.

• 25 (21.0%) said they could support a local sales tax if it helped replace lost property tax revenue.

The results show the community is closely divided, with no option receiving a majority of the vote.

Summary of Reader Comments

Although opinions varied on the best approach, several common themes emerged:

• Government spending and accountability was by far the most common concern. Many readers said they believe local governments should reduce waste, spend taxpayer dollars more efficiently, and provide greater transparency by making detailed budgets and expenditures easily accessible to the public.

• Property tax relief for seniors was another recurring suggestion. Several commenters supported reducing or eliminating portions of property taxes—particularly school taxes—for homesteaded seniors living on fixed incomes.

• Supporters of property tax reductions argued that high property taxes can make it difficult for homeowners to remain in their homes. Several felt local governments should be required to operate within tighter budgets and eliminate unnecessary spending before seeking additional revenue.

• Sales tax as an alternative received mixed but generally cautious support. Those in favor said a modest sales tax increase would spread the tax burden more broadly to renters, tourists, and visitors rather than placing it primarily on homeowners. Others noted that sales taxes are based on spending, allowing individuals some control over how much tax they pay.

• Infrastructure and public services were also discussed. One commenter questioned the value received from current property taxes, citing concerns about road conditions, traffic congestion, and school quality despite continued residential development.

• Local control was another theme. One reader argued that property tax decisions should remain with local governments rather than being directed at the state level, allowing local voters to hold elected officials accountable for spending decisions.

• Concerns about replacing lost revenue were reflected in comments from those who opposed changes. Some warned that replacing property taxes with higher sales taxes could ultimately cost residents more, while others preferred leaving the current system in place rather than risking unintended consequences.

• A few readers offered alternative revenue ideas, including increasing traffic enforcement to generate additional income while improving road safety.

Overall, the comments reflected a strong desire for greater fiscal responsibility and accountability, regardless of whether readers favored reducing property taxes, keeping them unchanged, or replacing part of the revenue with a sales tax. Many respondents agreed that homeowners should not bear a disproportionate share of local government funding, but opinions differed on the best way to achieve a fair and sustainable tax system.

😊😊😊😊😊 Have A Great Day

TECH NOTE: Some readers using the Edge browser have reported getting warning messages that they are attempting to access an unsafe site. This is a glitch in the Edge browser. If you switch to Chrome, Firefox or Safari you should have no problems. Rest assured our site IS SAFE

OUR NEWS POLICY: Our goal is to provide synopses of locally relevant news and articles for Ormond residents. This may include local issues, county and state news affecting Ormond Beach, and other matters such as health, technology, pets, etc.. We hope to provide something of interest to all readers. We welcome your feedback here.

#OrmondBeach #DataCenters #CityPlanning #VolusiaCounty #NASCAR #DaytonaInternationalSpeedway #TheClash #Speedweeks #BlueOrigin #NewGlenn #SpaceCoast #CapeCanaveral #FloridaNews #CommunityNews