Community Bloggers

We left the Orlando Peabody Hotel Friday evening and quick-stepped over to the Rosen Center for a “Meet and Greet” with Presidential candidate Herman Cain. It was scheduled to begin at 7:30 but delayed while management set up a room twice as large to hold the excited Republicans. And still the crowd spilled over.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- As I drove two of my daughters to New Smyrna Beach High School on Monday, May 9, I saw a sign on the building: "FOR SALE." I thought, "Ha! That's a good one."

It was carefully tied 20 feet above the ground. I laughed when I saw that the 2011 senior class took credit for it. Of course, this is the school prank of 2011 that seniors traditionally leave behind.

Jim Tager, principal of the high school said he doesn't know who did it. He's glad this year's prank was not anything destructive. His biggest worry was how high off the ground it was placed by someone.

It would seem that a cherry picker type of vehicle would have done it because of the slope on the roof below it and the height of the rope tied, but I don't think the school should focus on who did it.

My daughters saw rubber ducks in the school's pond one recent year. As long as no one is hurt and there is no property damage I think this is a fun way to have the school administration, students and teachers to remember each unique group of graduates.

NSBNews.net photo / Deposed Daytona State College President Kent Sharples gives the thumbs up Nov. 18, after a separation-retirement agreement is announced by board Chairman John Tanner, shown here at left.

Daytona State College is in a world of hurt over $1.5 million taxpayer dollars used to pay the bills the Community Cultural Foundation incurred last summer when planned concerts failed to generate either public interest or money from ticket sales. Mayor Glen Ritchey's plan to bring back the LSO as a remedy is nothing short of a delusion.

EDGEWATER -- I am rejoicing with the families of those three girls who were held captive for 10 years by the Cleveland man accused of kidnapping and rape. They should lock that guy up forever.

DAYTONA BEACH -- I see the CRA is in the news again. Daytona seems worried that they won’t get their fair share to put into their “blighted” beachside and New Smyrna Beach is putting a lot of CRA money into bars. Huh?

ORMOND BEACH -- Just 4% of Americans indicate they are worried about gun control, and the intense media campaign and Obama’s failure to inflict background checks on ordinary American citizens peacefully exercising their 2nd Amendment rights is a massive fail.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Daytona 500 is just one race. I will say that growing up in DeLand, I was not that interested in the races. I only went to one race and it was not one of the big ones and I had no clue who the drivers were and I still do not know. But I do know how important Daytona International Speedway and the Daytona 500, the Coke Zero 400 and the other races are to the economy of Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Central Florida and Florida as a whole.

EDGEWATER -- Can you believe what this country went through this past week in Boston and its neighboring communities? Not since 9/11 have we as Americans been so glued to our television sets, and of course, the internet. The media coverage was instant, continuous, and for once, I didn’t disagree with that because events were happening so fast.

EDGEWATER -- The sights, sounds and personal accounts of the Boston Marathon bombing make me sick to my stomach with grief for all involved and for this country. Then I heard that the race was dedicated to the Newtown, Conn. survivors and many were in the stands observing the race and I cried.

EDGEWATER -- A Madison, Ala. school principal banned the word "Easter" from her school this year. Say what? She says it was in the interest of religious diversity.