West Volusia Wire

Friday, November 20, 2009

Missing DeLeon Springs boy back at home
posted 9:00:19am

DELEON SPRINGS

News source — VCSO

After a more than six-hour search, Kaleb Carreli of DeLeon Springs was located safe-n-sound in a heavily-wooded area of DeLeon Springs. The 5-year-old boy was spotted by deputies and a group of volunteer searchers who had been combing the area after Kaleb ran off into the woods while chasing behind his dog. Kaleb’s family reported him missing to the Sheriff’s Office at 5:35 p.m.

Searchers first spotted Kaleb from a distance at about 11:52 p.m. as he was calling out for help. They made their way through the thick underbrush and reached the boy about 7 minutes later. Deputies estimate that he was located between three-quarters of a mile and a mile away from his home. The boy was then brought to the command post and checked out by paramedics with EVAC ambulance. While he wasn’t injured, an ambulance transported Kaleb to Florida Hospital DeLand as a precaution.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Spruce Creek Fly-In under precautionary boil water notice
posted 11:54:22am

SPRUCE CREEK

News source —

A precautionary water boil notice is in effect for 1,437 homes in the Spruce Creek Fly-in subdivision west of Port Orange. The boil water notice was issued after water treatment plant operators detected a low chlorine residual. The problem has been corrected.

Residents are being notified through an internal notification system and signs at the entrances and in the subdivision.

A boil water notice advises residents to bring water to a rolling boil for one minute before using it for drinking, cooking or ice-making. It is not necessary to boil water for showering or other external uses.

The notice is expected to be removed after two consecutive days of satisfactory tests, according to Scott Heil, operations manager for Volusia County Water Resources and Utilities. However, customers should wait until they receive a rescission notice before resuming normal usage.

For more information, please call Volusia County Water Resources and Utilities at (386) 822-6465.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Stetson University’s earns national recognition from National Wildlife Federation
posted 6:00:05pm

DELAND

Stetson University is one of 165 colleges and universities nationwide recognized Nov. 18 by the National Wildlife Federation for leading effective climate change and sustainability initiatives. Stetson was noted for a carbon audit conducted by students inventorying campus greenhouse gases for an Environmental Science course under the leadership of associate professor Dr. J. Anthony Abbott.

The recognition comes as part of NWF’s new study, Generation E: Students Leading for a Sustainable, Clean Energy Future, which highlights the role college students are playing in reforming sustainability programs that lower their campus’ carbon footprint. The report released today highlights 165 campus examples in 46 states, covering 35 categories of creative student effort.

Six selected upperclass students conducted Stetson’s carbon audit. They studied such items as fuel consumption, energy purchases, amount of natural gas burned on campus and fertilizer use. They surveyed the campus community about driving habits and commuter patterns, and they trekked to 213 departments on campus to look at mileage reimbursement forms.

The Environmental Science course is just one example of how Stetson incorporates environmental sustainability into the academic curriculum. Courses relating to sustainability have been offered in multiple disciplines at Stetson for many years, and a new course unit curriculum system recently adopted includes an environmental responsibility component.

Stetson also has student-led green groups including Hatter Harvest, Stetson Recycles and Roots & Shoots, and is the U.S. headquarters for the Alliance for International Reforestation, which plants trees, builds stoves and teaches sustainable agriculture methods in Guatemala. Stetson also has the first LEED-certified building in the state of Florida, the Lynn Business Center.

Frustrated robbery suspect arrested
posted 3:53:35pm

DELTONA

News source - Volusia County Sheriff's Office

A 24-year-old man was arrested Wednesday for a failed robbery attempt at a Deltona store. Carlie McDuffie walked into the store and asked an employee for money from the cash register, but he did so in a whisper, which the clerk apparently didn’t hear or understand. After a couple more whispered demands that produced no results, McDuffie finally gave up and fled. No weapons were seen or implied, and no one was injured. Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputies searched the area and found McDuffie trying to cut through backyards in a nearby neighborhood.

The incident happened at approximately 10:38 a.m. at the Family Dollar, 2120 Saxon Blvd. The clerk told deputies that McDuffie had walked up to her and whispered, “Give me the money from the register.” The 34-year-old clerk asked him what he needed and he repeated his whispered demand. She again asked him what he needed and he said “forget it” and then walked quickly out the front door and fled around a corner. The clerk then called 911.

Less than 30 minutes later deputies found McDuffie trying to elude capture in the 500 block of South Floyd Circle. The Deltona man was charged with attempted robbery and resisting arrest without violence. He was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Florida Audubon Names Eric Draper Acting Executive Director
posted 3:52:41pm

MIAMI

News source: Florida Audubon Society

Veteran conservation advocate Eric Draper today assumed the position of Executive Director of Audubon of Florida on an acting basis. He follows David Anderson in the role, who last week concluded more than five years of distinguished service. Audubon of Florida is the state office of National Audubon Society.

Henry Tepper, Audubon’s Vice President of Eastern State Programs, made the announcement saying, “Eric is one of Audubon’s most talented conservation leaders. He has an impressive record of accomplishment and the skills to lead Audubon’s largest state program.”

John Hankinson, Chairman of Audubon’s Florida Board added, “We grateful to David Anderson for his service and wish him well. We are also pleased that Eric is stepping up to this important role.”

Draper, 56, joined the staff of the National Audubon Society in 1995 as Senior Vice President for Policy. He refocused on Florida in 1999 as state Policy Director. In 2008, he was awarded National Audubon Society’s highest honor, the Charles H. Callison Award of professional distinction. This year, he was named one of the top 40 “influencers” in Florida politics by Campaigns & Elections’ Politics magazine.

Upon assuming his duties, Draper said, “I am honored to be given the opportunity to lead an organization whose conservation mission is critical to Florida’s future.”

Over the past 14 years Draper helped orchestrate organizational growth for Audubon’s Florida office, which now employs more than 50 people with an annual budget of more than $5 million. Florida Audubon’s 100-year history as the Voice of Conservation is now backed by four science research centers, a suite of sanctuaries, 44 local chapters and the state’s most effective conservation advocacy operation.

Draper and Audubon have played key roles in promoting Everglades restoration and Florida Forever while defending state water policies and advancing clean energy legislative proposals. Earlier this year Draper launched a campaign to run for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture but dropped that effort to focus on leading opposition to off-shore oil drilling.

Draper will be based in Audubon’s state office in Miami and will continue to lead Audubon’s Tallahassee-based lobbying efforts. For more information on Audubon of Florida visit www.audubonofflorida.org or http://audubonoffloridanews.org.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Cut your won Crhistmas tree at Lyonia Preserve
posted 4:18:14pm

DELTONA

News Source: Volusia County

Enjoy a green Christmas this year by cutting your own tree at Lyonia Preserve in Deltona.

Residents can select their favorite sand pines from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12; and Sunday, Dec. 13. They are asked to bring their own saws and park along the entrance to Deltona Lakes Elementary School, 2022 Adelia Blvd.

While they are not traditional Christmas trees, sand pines are popular among Floridians. These native trees are 4 - 5 feet tall and have been likened to Charlie Brown Christmas trees. Two or three can be tied together to make a fuller tree, and many people decorate them and leave them outside for wildlife.

Lyonia Preserve is a 360-acre scrub habitat that has three nature trails and is home to dozens of Florida scrub jays and gopher tortoises. Staff and volunteers routinely remove overgrown sand pines to create bare sand areas with low-growing vegetation preferred by scrub jays.

Donations are requested, and proceeds will be used by the Friends of the Library to purchase materials for the Deltona Regional Library, which is adjacent to Lyonia Preserve.

For more information, please call Bonnie Cary, environmental specialist for Volusia County, at (386) 804-0437.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Stetson University students take lead in developing iStetson app for iPhone
posted 10:53:17am

DELAND

News source: Stetson University

Student group projects operate on advanced levels at Stetson University, where a team of undergraduates developed the just-released iStetson app for the iPhone. The application was previewed on campus in April, released in July and approved by Apple in October.

The semester-long project also serves as an example of a multifaceted partnership between education and industry. Stetson’s academic and administrative departments partnered with AT&T and Apple Corp., for the initiative. The companies contributed funding, service and equipment.

“This project has given us real experience working together in a group to research and develop various pieces to produce a magnificent application, and to work with cutting-edge technology for programming and testing our work,” said Matt Samuels.

Samuels was a sophomore when he and 11 classmates worked on the project in Dr. Dan Plante’s Software Development class during the spring 2009 semester. Eleven of the 12 students in the class were sophomores.

“We ran the class just like a business would when developing a new software product,” said Plante, associate professor of Computer Science at Stetson. “We did everything we would need to do if we were professional developers working on a product, rather than a class of second-year Computer Science students trying to satisfy a course requirement for their major.”

Stetson is one of a handful of schools nationwide, and the only one in Florida, to have created this type of iPhone application, said Bill Penney, associate vice president and chief technology officer at Stetson who was involved with the project. His department provided funding, iPhones and systems support. Students made professional-level presentations about product development to him throughout the semester.

“We hear a lot about experiential learning,” said Penney, who also is an adjunct instructor in Management Information Systems. “This is experiential learning at its best.”

The iStetson app is available free for download from iTunes. It allows users to access campus events, get class listings, find faculty and staff on campus, and find out what's on the menu in the Commons.

“Students are able to use it in their everyday lives, and we (students) will continue to work on and improve it,” said Sarah Richardson, one of the students who helped develop iStetson.

The Stetson-industry partnership provided professional-level support to the academic initiative. AT&T provided a $10,000 grant to Stetson for computer hardware and full-data service to support the iPhone application. Apple provided development systems and the loan of four laptops for students to use.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Public invited to special free events at Stetson University’s Gillespie Museum
posted 5:13:04pm

DELAND

News source: Stetson University

Stetson University’s Gillespie Museum celebrates its 51st birthday this week with two special events: a Founders/Keepers reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, and a special Saturday Family Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, with a focus on the Collector’s Corner.

It all began with a collection. In November 1958, Thomas Byrd and Nellie Gillespie gave their private collection to Stetson to establish a world-class mineral museum. In the five decades since, the Gillespie Museum has developed into a center for environmental education, including the newly opened Rinker Environmental Learning Center adjacent to the museum.

Join everyone at Gillespie to celebrate the past and present of Stetson’s earth-science museum, as well as the university-wide commitment to environmental responsibility. Both events are free and open to the community. For more information call or e-mail the Gillespie Museum, 386-822-7330 or gillespiemuseum@stetson.edu.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Meetings scheduled to discuss attendance boundaries for New Elementary School “Z” in DeLand
posted 3:13:09pm

DELAND

News source: Volusia County Schools

Several community listening sessions are scheduled by the School District of Volusia County to begin the process of determining attendance boundaries for the new elementary school in DeLand, 729 Hazen Road. The school is scheduled to open to students in the 2010-11 school year.

These listening sessions are designed to gather input from parents and concerned community members that can be used for the development of new attendance area boundaries. District staff will present ideas at these meetings and accept suggestions.

Four meetings will be held as follows:

Monday, November 16, 6 p.m. - George Marks Elementary cafeteria, 1000 N. Garfield Ave.

Wednesday, November 18, 6 p.m. - Woodward Avenue Elementary cafeteria, 1201 S. Woodward Ave.

Tuesday, November 17, 6 p.m. - Starke Elementary cafeteria, 730 S. Parsons Ave.

Thursday, November 19, 6:30 p.m. - Freedom Elementary cafeteria, 1395 S. Blue Lake Ave.

After review of the information from the listening sessions, district staff will evaluate the proposal for new school attendance areas and consider changes to be presented at future community meetings, which will be scheduled in January 2010.

For additional information, call Saralee Morrissey, Facilities Services Division, at (386) 734-7190, 255-6475 or 427-5223, extension 50772.

Free H1N1 School Vaccination Clinic offered
posted 9:29:22am

News source: Volusia County Health Department

The Volusia County Health Department will conduct a free H1N1 swine flu vaccination clinic targeting students in DeLand, Deltona and Orange City Saturday, Nov. 14. The school vaccination clinic will take place between the hours of 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. or until the vaccine supply has been exhausted.

The vaccination clinic will take place at Pine Ridge High School, 926 Howland Blvd., Deltona. This clinic is for students, teachers, and school staff who live in the Deltona area (ZIP codes 32713, 32725, 32738, and 32764) and DeLand/Orange City/Lake Helen areas (ZIP codes 32720, 32724, 32744 and 32763). The clinics are targeting the following groups: Public schools, Private schools, Child care centers, Pre-kindergarten, Head Start, Charter schools, and Home-schools.

The clinic will offer the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine and the injectable vaccine. The nasal vaccine is sprayed in the nose and is approved for healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49. The injectable vaccine is injected in the arm muscle. Both vaccines are safe and effective protection against the H1N1 swine flu virus, according to Volusia County Health Department Director Dr. Bonnie Sorensen.

Persons who are being targeted by this school vaccination clinic who cannot attend will have other opportunities to receive the vaccine. Locations, dates and times will be announced as the vaccine continues to arrive in Volusia County.

H1N1 swine flu vaccinations are voluntary. Residents may visit www.VolusiaHealth.com and click on Let’s Fight Flu Together for detailed information about the vaccine and to print a vaccine consent form, which must be signed by the person receiving the vaccine or the child’s parent/guardian before the vaccine will be administered. Vaccine information and consent forms also will be available at the school vaccination clinic and in the school offices of the public and private schools in the area. Residents are encouraged to complete the consent form in advance and bring to the clinic to expedite the process.

Residents also can view H1N1 swine flu information and print a consent form using Volusia County public library computers. For a complete list of library locations, visit www.VolusiaLibrary.org.

Children 9 years and younger should get two doses of the vaccine. Children should receive the second dose of the vaccine 21 to 28 days later at the nearest health department clinic. For a complete list of health department clinics, please visit www.VolusiaHealth.com. Children 10 and older require only one dose of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine to be protected.

People who have a severe (life-threatening) allergy to eggs or any other substance in the vaccine should not get H1N1 swine flu vaccine.

For more information about H1N1 swine flu, visit www.VolusiaHealth.com and click on the Let’s Fight Flu Together banner or call the Volusia County Health Department Flu Information Line at (866) 821-7704.