A Year in Review: Looking back at 2020 in Ormond Beach

COVID-19. Protests. Drive-thru events. Can you remember what else happened in Ormond Beach this year? Here's a rundown.

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January

  • Jan. 1: A female North Atlantic right whale surfaces with her calf near Ormond-by-the-Sea
  • Jan. 7: City discusses tearing down 56 N. Beach St. church property to build a parking lot.
  • Jan. 13: Volusia County leaders consider bundling ECHO and Volusia Forever with a sales tax referendum in the 2022 ballot.
  • Jan. 16: Volusia County Council Chair Ed Kelley announces he will not seek re-election. 
  • Jan. 31: Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce installs Caryn Baker, of Realty Pros Assured, as its new executive committee chair.

February

  • Feb. 1: Thays Franca's mural at Ormond Garage, the first in the city's new mural program, is unveiled during the Granada Grand Festival of Arts. 
  • Feb. 11: Volusia County Council Chair Ed Kelley says Volusia is propelling to a "bright future" at annual state of the county event.
  • Feb. 12: All Lucky's Market stores close. A new store had opened less than a year prior at the former Food Lion building. 
  • Feb. 13: Grassroots group called the Ormond Beach Tree Committee asks city to create a tree advisory board.
  • Feb. 18: City decides to name a baseball field in the Nova Community Center after resident and longtime youth sports coach Dwight Durant.

March

  • March 3: City Commission approves offering giant baked-goods company Bimbo a $135,000 incentive to lease 1899 N. U.S. 1
  • March 6: The Conklin Center for the Blind closes after four decades of serving the visually-impaired community.
  • March 9: The first case of COVID-19 is reported in Volusia County.
  • March 17: Volusia County decides to keep beaches open, but later on March 24, decides to closes all vehicle ramps. 
  • March 30: Students begin remote learning after brick-and-mortar schools are closed due to COVID-19. 

April

  • April 3: Volusia County closes beaches, a decision that is reversed 24 hours later when the county lifts almost all beach activity prohibitions. 
  • April 14: The city decides to allow local restaurants to display temporary signage to help business during the pandemic.
  • April 20: Volusia County Sheriff's Office identifies the victim of a 1986 local cold case as Howard "Kip" Evans. 
  • April 21: The Volusia County Council extends the Ormond Crossings community redevelopment agency district until 2034.
  • April 28: The City Commission advocates for the School Board to choose the Osceola Elementary location in future Osceola-Ortona merger.

May

  • May 2: Volusia County reopens beaches to all activities, including sunbathing. Beach driving remains prohibited.
  • May 4: United Way's ALICE report discloses that 119,000 Volusia and Flagler households were one emergency away from financial ruin at the start of the pandemic.
  • May 12: County staff present the Relaunch Volusia COVID-19 reopening plan to the County Council.
  • May 22: City installs new decorative banners honoring the 510 local graduating high school seniors. 
  • May 26: City Commission approves its second quarter financial status report that states six sources of general fund revenues reported losses from January to March.

June

  • June 2: The Volusia County Council approves the creation of a Commercial Space Industry Opportunity Overlay.
  • June 11: Residents speak out against a proposed Plantation Oaks amendment to drop the age restriction for a portion of the development during a Planning Board meeting.
  • June 12: City Commissioner Susan Persis is re-elected after no candidate files to run against her. 
  • June 16: Publix spokesperson confirms a new traditional Publix will replace the former Lucky's Market building on the beachside. 
  • June: 23: City plans to adopt the rollback tax rate despite revenue shortfalls caused by COVID-19.

July

  • July 2: Volusia County Council Chair Ed Kelley asks citizens to wear masks for the next 30 days to help slow the spread of COVID-19. No official mask mandate was issued. 
  • July 14: Avalon Park Group closes on 3,000 acres west of I-95 for Avalon Park Daytona.
  • July 21: Volusia County Council proposes the adoption of a "partial" rollback tax rate. 
  • July 22: Volusia County School Board approves school reopening plans after an eight hour meeting that began the afternoon of July 21.
  • July 28: The city of Ormond Beach cancels its "Light Up Labor Day" celebration, which was supposed to replace the previously canceled Fourth of July fireworks. 

August

  • Aug. 11: Volusia County teachers return to the classroom. 
  • Aug. 17: The First District Court of Appeal rules that Amendment 10 is applicable to Volusia's charter, ending a nearly two-year-long legal dispute.
  • Aug. 18: August primary election results reveal County Councilwoman Deb Denys and challenger Jeff Brower will face off in the general election.
  • Aug. 25: School Board opts for Ortona school site in Osceola-Ortona Elementary merger, meaning Osceola Elementary will close once the new school is built.
  • Aug. 31: School begins in Volusia County. Masks are mandated and the 14-day COVID-19 positivity rate is below 6%.

September

  • Sept. 8: The Volusia County School Board unanimously adopts a $992.1 million budget for fiscal year 2021, an increase of 7% from last year's. The boost is due to the state providing $10.4 million to increase the base minimum for teachers' salaries. 
  • Sept. 9: The Ormond Beach City Commission decides to allow special event permits for Biketoberfest despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Sept. 17: Impasse hearing between Volusia County schools and teacher's union Volusia United Educators results in demand to "fix" the Volusia Live model.
  • Sept. 21: The final phase of the salt marsh restoration at the North Peninsula State Park.
  • Sept. 29: Due to the governor's decision to move the state into the third phase of reopening, Volusia County determines its COVID-19 safety plan for Biketoberfest can no longer be enforced. 

October

  • Oct. 6: Volusia County triples its fines for parking violations, which will help fund school crossing guard programs. 
  • Oct. 13: The city of Ormond Beach holds its annual State of City address, where the mayor's remarks were hopeful despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Oct. 13: The Volusia County School Board is informed two-thirds of Volusia Live students in middle and high school are failing at least one class.
  • Oct. 17: Donald Trump Jr., son of the president, visits Ormond Beach with a campaign stop at the 2A Ranch.
  • Oct. 27: A group of anti-mask mothers wishing to speak against the Volusia County Schoo's mask mandate were trespassed from the district building after refusing to wear masks during the School Board meeting. The altercation delayed the meeting by over an hour. 

November

  • Nov. 3: All incumbent City Commissioners are re-elected for another two-year term. Jeff Brower is elected as County Council Chair, winning the race against Deb Denys.
  • Nov. 4: City announces the annual Christmas parade is canceled due to COVID-19.
  • Nov. 5: Ormond Beach resident Charlene Greer is named the winner of the NASCAR Foundation's 10th-annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian award.
  • Nov. 17: The Ormond Beach City Commission is sworn into office. Mayor Bill Partington is sworn virtually, as he announces he has tested positive for COVID-19.
  • Nov. 24: The Jewish Federation's Jerry Doliner Food Bank distributes 300 turkeys to families in need for Thanksgiving.

December

  • Dec. 7: Ormond Beach Police Foundation, previously known as the Ormond Beach Community Foundation, presents OBPD with a $100,000 donation, thanks to a "mystery donor."
  • Dec. 12: Ormond MainStreet and the city partner to host "Merry and Bright on Main Street" to bring holiday cheer, and business, to the downtown.
  • Dec. 15: City Commission votes to terminate the River Bend Golf Club lease with the current management group due to unpaid rent. The County Council also present Ed Kelley and Deb Denys with a proclamation at their last council meeting.
  • Dec. 19: Annual Wreaths Across America decorates local veterans' graves at three Ormond Beach cemeteries.
  • Dec. 21: AdventHealth Daytona Beach begins to vaccinate frontline health care workers against COVID-19.

 

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