⭐ Jeeps, Ducks, Blue Lights and Preferred Names

Issue #527

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11 Apr

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⭐ Jeeps, Ducks, Blue Lights and Preferred Names

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🦆 Duck Fest Brings Family Fun to Tomoka Outpost

The Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia knows how to make learning fun — and fundraising too. The 12th annual Duck Fest took over Tomoka Outpost on April 5, with a cheerful combo of duck races, relay games, a kids zone, and an ever-popular photo booth.

The event isn't just about rubber duckies on the move. All proceeds benefit the School Readiness program, which helps local families prepare their children for kindergarten. With sunshine, laughter, and quacking good fun, the community event offered both a memorable day and meaningful support for early education.

It’s safe to say this tradition is swimming along nicely.

🚙 Jeep Beach Gears Up for Another Big Year

With Bike Week in the rearview mirror, it’s time to make way for another horsepower-fueled spectacle: Jeep Beach 2025. Set for April 18–27, this annual 10-day celebration is revving up to welcome more than 225,000 visitors and 25,000 Jeeps to Daytona Beach. From beach parties to vendor expos, this event is paradise for Jeep lovers.

Despite high attendance, charitable giving may hit some speed bumps. Economic uncertainty and tightened wallets have made fundraising tougher this year, prompting organizers to scale back expenses. Still, expect new twists like updated obstacle courses and special grandstand seating packages.

And while the Jeep Beach Music Fest won’t return this year, the energy and impact of the event remain high. Local hotels are already booking up fast.

🔵 Why Are Some Florida Firetrucks Flashing Blue?

If you’ve noticed some firetrucks in Florida flashing blue lights, you’re not imagining things. Thanks to a law passed in 2024, government-owned firetrucks over 24,000 pounds can now add blue lighting to the rear — as long as the fire chief gives the go-ahead.

Why the change? It’s all about visibility and safety. Blue lights are more eye-catching, especially on dark or busy roadways. Lawmakers hope the change will help prevent accidents at emergency scenes and give motorists a clearer warning when crews are at work.

The law marks a shift from traditional lighting rules, where blue was mostly reserved for law enforcement. Now, with fire departments stepping into the blue-light zone, Florida’s emergency response visibility is getting a much-needed upgrade.

🏫 Teachers and ‘Preferred’ Names: What the Law Says

A recent incident in Brevard County has drawn fresh attention to Florida’s controversial education law around preferred names and pronouns. A Satellite High School teacher, Melissa Calhoun, was let go after using a student’s preferred name without parental consent, sparking debate across the state.

The 2023 law, part of HB 1069, restricts how teachers refer to students, requiring parental permission for any deviation from legal names. That means even shortening “Robert” to “Rob” needs a signed form on file. Teachers who break the rule risk losing their certification.

Officials say the law is about consistency and parental rights, but critics argue it puts educators in a tough spot. In Calhoun’s case, the school chose not to renew her contract while the state reviews her license.

It’s a potent reminder: Florida’s education landscape continues to shift — and so do the rules for those who teach.

Embedded Video

Ponce Inlet Dredging Project

Video Source: WFTV.com

Recent Arrests

Ormond Beach Police Department

• Jachai D. Polite, 27, Ormond Beach, arrested March 28 for cocaine possession. Bail: $2,500.
• Michael S. King, 37, Ormond Beach, arrested April 3 for domestic battery by strangulation. No bail set.

Holly Hill Police Department
• William C. Brooks, 33, Holly Hill, arrested April 2 for domestic battery by strangulation. Bail: $5,000.

Volusia County Sheriff’s Office
• Jacob A. Cummings, 25, Ormond Beach, arrested March 28 for weapon possession by a felon, controlled substance, and cannabis. Bail: $1,000.
• Emma L. F. Stiltner, 30, Ormond Beach, arrested March 31 for amphetamine, paraphernalia, and Schedule II/IV possession. No bail set.

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

  

  • Fri Apr 11

  • Event: Café Roberto, 6:30–9:00 AM
    beach + vine, 1458 Ocean Shore Blvd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Semi-Private Training (1-day Session 2pm-4pm), 12–2 PM
    Ormond Beach Sports Complex, 700 Hull Rd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Sunset & Full Moon Island Bonfire - Ormond, 6:00–9:30 PM
    Seabridge Riverfront Park, 3570 John Anderson Dr, Ormond Beach

  • Event: KICK-OFF Party!!!! River Scramble PAR-TEE on the..., 6:00–10:00 PM
    Broken Spoke Saloon, 1151 US-1, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Friday Karaoke at the OB with HARRYOKE!, 6:30–10:30 PM
    Ormond Beach Sports Corner Bar and Grill, 709 S Nova Rd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: CHA CHA + SALSA ON 2 with Tomas Guerrero, 7:00–10:00 PM
    Dance-ology Studios, 533 N Nova Rd Suite 105, Ormond Beach

  • Event: -Jimmy Ali - Live Friday's at "The Grind", 9:00–11:59 PM
    Grind Gastropub & Kona Tiki Bar, 49 W Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: One-Year Anniversary Beach Bonfire, Apr 11–Apr 12
    301 Cardinal Dr, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Fletcher’s Irish Pub & Brewery – Holly Hill, 8:30 PM
    Fletcher's Brewery, 745 Ridgewood Ave, Holly Hill

    Sat Apr 12

  • Event: Color Me Ericka 5K, 9 AM – 12 PM
    Dog-Friendly Beach Access Ormond Beach, 301 Cardinal Dr, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Small Group Saturdays-P, 11 AM – 1 PM
    Ormond Beach Sports Complex, 700 Hull Rd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Easter Bunny Bash, 11 AM – 4 PM
    Tomoka Town Center, 1401 Cornerstone Blvd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Ormond Beach - Bikini Company, 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM
    Fountain Square Shopping Village, 142 E Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Easter Jam, 1 PM
    1687 W Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Paint-a-Pelican Class!, 2 – 4 PM
    Gather 2 Grow with Terri, 94 Dunlawton Ave, Ormond Beach

  • Event: EASTER PARTY AND EGG HUNT, 2:00 – 3:30 PM
    1000 Old Tomoka Rd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: How to Buy a New Construction Home & Take..., 3 – 4 PM
    1383 Fountain Vw St, Ormond Beach

  • Event: U.S. Law Shield: Self-Defense & the Legal System, 5 PM
    1050 S Nova Rd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Live Music with Mark Chirico, 6 – 9 PM
    beach + vine, 1458 Ocean Shore Blvd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: BEACHSIDE MUSIC, 7 PM
    Beachside, 790 S Atlantic Ave, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Karaoke Kidz: Spring Into Song!, Apr 12 – 13
    615 S Yonge St, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Ormond Beach Celtic Festival, Apr 12 – 13
    Rockefeller Gardens, 25 Riverside Dr, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Oncology Yoga Training for Certified Yoga Teachers, Apr 12 – 13
    224 Memorial Medical Pkwy, Ormond Beach

    Sun Apr13

  • Event: Ormond Beach Celtic Festival, Apr 12 – 13
    Rockefeller Gardens, 25 Riverside Dr, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Sunday Semi-Private: FG/KO, 10 AM – 12 PM
    Ormond Beach Sports Complex, 700 Hull Rd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Open House - 11AM-1PM, 11 AM – 1 PM
    510 Stirling Bridge Dr, Ormond Beach, FL

  • Event: Kelly Jarrard, 11 AM – 3 PM
    Sessions Restaurant, 918 N Atlantic Ave, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Sea Glass Tree Class - 4/13, 12 – 3 PM
    The Salty Mermaid, 1546 - 1548 Ocean Shore Blvd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Bouquets and Bubbly – A Bloom Bar!, 1 – 3 PM
    beach + vine, 1458 Ocean Shore Blvd, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Open House - 2PM-4PM, 2 – 4 PM
    307 Stirling Bridge Dr, Ormond Beach, FL

  • Event: Ormond Ballet Presents Prometheus, 3 PM
    Ormond Beach Performing Arts, 399 US-1, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Live Music at the 'Grille: Chillakaya, 3 – 6 PM
    RiverGrille on the Tomoka, 950 US-1, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Plant Swap, 3 – 7 PM
    Ormond Brewing Company, 301 Division Ave UNIT 15, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Easter Bunny hops to HH Riverside Market, 1 – 6 PM
    1135 Riverside Dr, Holly Hill, FL

  • Event: Razors Edge - A Tribute to AC/DC Returns Sunday..., 1 – 4 PM
    Saints & Sinners Pub, 1635 US-1, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Mini Masters — First United Ormond Beach, 5 – 8 PM
    Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf, 226 Cardinal Dr, Ormond Beach

  • Event: Weekly Bowling, 6 – 8 PM
    Ormond Lanes, 260 US-1, Ormond Beach

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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