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  • ⭐Embry-Riddle New ROTC Facility, Highwaymen-Style Painting Comes to The Casements, Volusia's Economy Keeps Moving Up

⭐Embry-Riddle New ROTC Facility, Highwaymen-Style Painting Comes to The Casements, Volusia's Economy Keeps Moving Up

Issue #919

11 May

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Photo courtesy of Embry-Riddle/David Massey

🎖️Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University broke ground May 6 on a new 28,000-square-foot ROTC complex on its Daytona Beach campus, set to open in fall 2027 on the east side of Clyde Morris Boulevard. The two-story facility will serve Embry-Riddle's Air Force, Army, and Navy ROTC programs — which together have nearly 800 cadets and midshipmen — with technologically equipped classrooms, a 100-seat auditorium, mission simulators, a computer lab, an outdoor drill plaza, and a memorial site for alums who have died in military service. Over the past five years, Embry-Riddle's Daytona ROTC programs have commissioned more than 750 officers across the Air Force, Space Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. The Air Force program is the second-largest in the nation and has ranked in the top 10% of all 145 national detachments since 2022. The building is an investment in people who will carry serious responsibility — and the university clearly understands that.

✦

🎨Florida artist Gina Bickish is bringing a piece of art history to The Casements in Ormond Beach this month — three Highwaymen-style painting workshops that anyone can join. The Highwaymen were a group of 26 Black artists from Central and South Florida who, during and after the Jim Crow era, bypassed the gallery system entirely and sold their vibrant Florida landscape paintings roadside and door to door. Their work — bold colors, natural Florida scenes — is now highly collectible, and the original 26 were inducted into the Florida Artists' Hall of Fame. Bickish studied directly with two of the original Highwaymen artists and will guide students through three different local scenes: the Loop with Spanish moss on May 15, a local beach scene on May 16, and the Tomoka River on May 22. All classes run in the upstairs art room at 25 Riverside Drive. The $40 fee covers all supplies; bring a smock and a friend. To register, call or text 386-956-6891.

Highwaymen painting workshops at The Casements

  • Friday, May 15 — 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. — The Loop with Spanish moss

  • Saturday, May 16 — 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. — Local beach scene

  • Friday, May 22 — 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. — Tomoka River

  • $40 per session, all supplies included  ·  Register: call or text 386-956-6891

✦

📈The Volusia-Flagler economy is showing gradual improvement, though the picture is still playing catch-up from last year. Volusia's unemployment rate dipped to 5.5% in February — down from 5.8% in January, helped by Speed Week activity — but remains well above February 2025's 4% rate. Healthcare continues to lead growth, with hospitals alone adding 800 jobs in the two-county area over the past year. Construction and leisure and hospitality both trailed, though both sectors have reason for optimism as housing activity picks up and new hotels and restaurants come online. The biggest local business story in recent weeks: Connecticut-based QXO is buying Daytona Beach-based TopBuild Corp. for approximately $17 billion, with the deal expected to close in the third quarter. No local layoffs are planned, though some employees may shift to Greenwich. Other notable moves include a Georgia firm acquiring a Daytona urology center for $12.25 million, Walmart buying its DeBary Neighborhood Market property for $5.6 million, and construction starting on a 12-unit apartment building off Bellevue Avenue in Daytona Beach. Billy's Taproom has reopened in Ormond Beach as Billy's Seafood & Steaks, and Maui Nix Surf Shop is heading to New Smyrna Beach's Flagler Avenue. Things are moving.

Sources
"Embry-Riddle breaks ground on new ROTC complex in Daytona Beach" — Ormond Observer, May 7, 2026
"Highwaymen-themed painting events coming to The Casements" — Ormond Observer, May 8, 2026
"I have to admit it's getting better in Volusia all the time" — HomeTown News, May 2026

This Day In Florida History

  • 1823 — Commodore David Porter, operating from Key West, argued for more vessels and men to protect U.S. commerce in the Gulf and Caribbean.

  • 1872 — Harriet Beecher Stowe dated a letter from Mandarin, Florida, where she lived seasonally after the Civil War.

  • 1896 — Richard Aloysius Twine, later a notable Black photographer in St. Augustine’s Lincolnville community, was born in St. Augustine.

  • 1905 — Governor Napoleon B. Broward signed Florida’s early motor-vehicle registration law.

  • 1906 — Aviation pioneer Jacqueline Cochran was born; she later became one of the most accomplished women pilots in U.S. history.

  • 1912 — Alachua County Deputy Sheriff Charles Herman Slaughter was shot and killed while attempting to arrest armed men at a social gathering.

  • 1923 — Hendry County was created from the eastern part of Lee County, with LaBelle selected as county seat.

  • 1926 — Henry Patterson, a young Black man, was lynched by a white mob in LaBelle.

  • 1927 — Hallandale was incorporated as Broward County’s eighth municipality.

  • 1949 — President Harry Truman created a Long-Range Proving Ground for missiles at Cape Canaveral.

  • 1972 — Civil rights leader Rev. C. K. Steele spoke at an anti-war march at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

  • 1976 — Tampa’s Plant Hall, formerly the Tampa Bay Hotel, was added to the National Historic Landmarks Program.

  • 1981 — Reggae musician Bob Marley died in a Miami hospital at age 36.

  • 1996 — ValuJet Flight 592 crashed into the Everglades after departing Miami International Airport, killing all 110 people aboard.

  • 2009 — Space Shuttle Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center on STS-125, the final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.

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Events for Monday, May 11, 2026

Ormond Beach

  • INNER CHURCH AT TOMOKA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

      Time: 6:00pm
      Location: Tomoka United Methodist Church Bleekman Hall, 1000 Old Tomoka Rd. - Ormond Beach

  • Event: 🌸Floral Design Study, 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens, 78 E Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach An immersive workshop focused on the art of floral arrangement. Participants learn techniques for selecting and styling seasonal blooms in a creative, hands-on environment.

  • Event: 🏛️Museum Guild Meeting, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens, 78 E Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach The monthly gathering for the OMAM Guild. Members meet to discuss upcoming volunteer opportunities, museum fundraisers, and community outreach programs.

  • Event: 🎨Masters of the Italian High Renaissance Lecture, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens, 78 E Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach Presented by art historian Ruth Grim, this lecture explores the works of legendary masters like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael, focusing on their lasting impact on the art world.

Holly Hill

  • Event: 🏓Open Play Pickleball, 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM Pictona at Holly Hill, 1060 Ridgewood Ave, Holly Hill After a busy tournament weekend, the courts return to regular open play. It's an excellent day for locals to drop in for recreational matches on the premier championship courts.

  • Event: 🧘Online Stretch & Mobility Class, 7:30 PM – 8:00 PM Virtual / Online (Local Instructor) Part of the 2026 Body Revival program, this guided session focuses on functional strength and joint mobility. It’s designed specifically for those looking to reduce stiffness and improve daily movement.

Daytona Beach

  • Event: 🎤Monday Night Jam Session, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Hard Rock Hotel (Sessions), 918 N Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach Unwind after the high-energy Rockville weekend with a relaxed jam session overlooking the ocean. Enjoy a rock-inspired menu and live music in a sophisticated beachfront setting.

  • Event: 🍹Service Industry Night, 9:00 PM – Close Ocean Deck Restaurant & Beach Club, 127 S Ocean Ave, Daytona Beach A favorite local tradition for hospitality workers to relax after a busy weekend of festivals. Features drink specials and live music right on the sand.

Events for Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Ormond Beach

  • Event: 🤝Networking Group 1 Meeting, 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce, 165 W Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach Start your Tuesday with local business leaders and professionals. This regular networking session is a great opportunity for community members to connect and share local business insights.

Holly Hill

  • Event: 📝Senior Semester Exams, All Day Holly Hill Elementary / High Schools, 1500 Center St, Holly Hill A key academic day for local seniors. Residents should expect typical school-related traffic and a focused atmosphere around the school campus.

  • Event: 🏫District School Board Meeting, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM District Facilities (Regional), Volusia County Local school board members and administrators meet to discuss district-wide policies, educational standards, and upcoming initiatives for the public school system.

  • Event: 🏓Open Play Pickleball, 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM Pictona at Holly Hill, 1060 Ridgewood Ave, Holly Hill Tuesday open play is in full swing. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just picking up a paddle, the 49 courts at Pictona provide a top-tier venue for social and competitive play.

Daytona Beach

  • Event: ⚖️Special Magistrate Meeting, 9:00 AM City Hall, 301 S Ridgewood Avenue, Daytona Beach A formal public meeting where the Special Magistrate reviews local code enforcement cases and property compliance issues for the city.

  • Event: 🎓Daytona State College Graduations, 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM Ocean Center, 101 N Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach A major celebration for the class of 2026. Expect increased traffic and a vibrant atmosphere near the Beach Street area as families gather to celebrate local graduates.

  • Event: 🎸Joey Grillo Live, 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM Hard Rock Hotel (Sessions), 918 N Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach Unwind with a live performance from Joey Grillo at the Hard Rock. Enjoy the oceanfront views and a signature cocktail in a sophisticated, rock-inspired setting.

NOTE: Event information is gathered from online sources without verification. Readers are advised to check with the venue or other sources to confirm info.

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